The Crimson Princess
by Green Priestess
Summary: Genesis died in Banora Underground after redeeming himself. He finds himself reborn as a young princess in a harem household. Well, he can deal with his wonderful mom. Who cares about his shitty father? Gender-be-damned, he, is a SOLDIER and an accomplished Agriculturist before that! And now, he became a princess in a treacherous household. What an upgrade. Feng ni Tian Xia X-Over
1. This is some Upgrade

This is some Upgrade...

Since Zack defeated him, he saw the Goddess.

She smiled at him as he reached out to her.

Next thing he knew, he's in the body of a little toddler cared for by a beautiful doting mother in fancy clothes, but suddenly, she's startled!

'Oh my goodness!'

'Milady, what's...oh my! Yue'er's eyes are glowing blue!' the other maids came for a look-see.

'Oh wow!'

Oh wow, indeed. He had been reincarnated into a noble family, has a beautiful mother, and can understand what they're saying!

'Beiyue...she was a normal baby seconds ago and suddenly she's reached arcane cultivation levels?!' his mother gasped out in astonishment. 'How did she survive Ki Toxication in such an instant?'

...what the hell is arcane cultivation? Ki Toxication?

'At least it's a boon.' said one maid. 'Keep this a secret, especially from that traitorous skank Xuelin!' one of the maids growled. 'Yue'er bested that slut's brat Yun with no effort at all! She's might do something to Yue'er!'

'Jiahe, I know what Xuelin has done, but no foul language around Beiyue, OK?' his young mother sighed. How old was she when she married? His new mom is YOUNG!

And these people look...wutainese, but insanely more beautiful and their clothes much fancier and more fluttery.

It was when she was four years old when she restrained her powers drastically to her mother and maids' amazement and eyes stopped glowing. Because she will meet her older siblings for the first time.

'Siblings?' Beiyue asked her mother.

'Yes, though they're from your father's other wives.' said his errr HER new mother. 'Because they have same father but different mothers, you are all half-siblings.'

'Oh...'

Beiyue learned the dynamics soon enough.

Her father, Xiao Yuancheng has four wives. Her mother being legal wife, and three more Concubines. She and her mother are Princesses, descendants of the Royal Family so Yuancheng was Prince Consort.

Jiahe, his mom's childhood maid would tell him to avoid Concubine Xue. She was once a girl rescued by her mother from poverty yet betrayed her by sleeping with her husband, and became his concubine when she got pregnant with Xiao Yun, and a shameless social climber. She wished his mom, Princess Royal never rescued the shameless wench if only time can be turned back! She gave birth to second miss Yun first and a year after, her son second young master Zhonglei.

Concubine Qin was the youngest daughter of the Counselor-in-Chief of the Royal Court. She supposedly seduced Prince Consort in a Palace Banquet a year after marrying her mom and the idiot can't keep it in his pants. Out of anger, disgust and outrage, two Empress Dowagers and his Emperor Uncle, as well as the woman's father shamed the pair in front of everybody, with Counselor-in-Chief Qi disowning his disgraceful daughter on the spot for bringing shame to the family and Concubines are no longer allowed in Palace Events since! Out of kindness, Princess Royal had her husband take her in. She was the second woman to birth Yuancheng a child. The eldest son Zhongqi and months after Beiyue was born, Rou, the fourth miss.

That was because their marriage was purely business, a decision made by her mother and never loved the man anyway, but alas, she is a dutiful daughter who must perform. So she was perfectly fine with him sleeping around! But she also never let him touch her for his infidelity until she had to be born as demanded. She can understand her mom's caution for STDs...

Concubine Fang was Yuancheng's first Concubine. She was already there with one infant daughter when Yuancheng married Princess Royal. She was a virtuous and thoughtful woman whose origins was that of a maid as well so she knew her place despite what's going on, as long as her daughter first miss Ling would not be neglected. She took pride in what she was and never brought shame upon herself. If only Ling was like her mother though...

Beiyue read the personalities of everyone.

Genesis Rhapsodos in her groaned. "I think I prefer my uncaring first parents to THIS..." his new mother was in a freaking harem household and it's legal for husbands to have many wives as long as he can support them and their children.

He also has a low opinion of this...situation.

Fang's OK. No complaints. Problem was his oldest sister Ling who was a good eight years older. She has no social grace whatsoever, running her mouth without control and saying what's on her mind. She was trouble in social galas that on her first debut at age 12...let's just say Yuancheng never allowed Ling out of the house ever again. Even worse when she has no talent in martial arts, capable of only the basics. She would have gone to Imperial College side of Lingyang School but at risk of offending other clan scions and earning House Xiao a ton of enemies? Only his mom was untouchable then as her reputation was spotless, theirs isn't!

For one who was publicly shamed as a slut in court, Concubine Qin was haughty, arrogant and despotic. She can boss around Xue and Fang as she was first to birth a son, but not even she can enjoy such power on Princess Royal who was the strongest in the household, being a War Hero who single-handedly wiped out a vast army once. Her son Zhongqi was 10 who enjoyed status a clan heir gets, being eldest son. He was under strict training but possessed haughty arrogance and pride. His little sister Rou who was a few months younger than her has yet to develop a personality but Beiyue was sure it'd be just as foul as the tree that bore her. Shame, she was cute.

Xuelin, now Concubine Xue...reminded him of a viper Jiahe likened her to be. The most dangerous type of women are women who smiles in public, while planning how she can pull you down. Yun is three years older than her and because of her Summoner Potential, she was spoiled rotten because supposedly Summoners have brighter futures than Warriors. Zhonglei, her younger brother by a year was the exact opposite. Xue focused on Yun so much, that she forgot he existed, thus his mom looked after the neglected kid on the sly. He was far happier keeping this secret, while upset his mother neglected him and likes his royal stepmother and stepsister more.

Then again, all wives compete for their husband's attention through their children.

Children are also rivals of each other.

Yuancheng keeps an eye on all his kids. Though for some reason, when he thinks nobody is looking, he looks at both him and his mother coldly while treating everyone else fine. Did something happen to warrant this? But nonetheless, he's no stranger to cold parents anyway. Those two he killed without remorse is telling enough.

For now, as a little four-years-old child, his, errr HER education begun as a Princess. So he errr SHE said,

'Mother, I'll learn how to rule since we're royalty right?' she asked her mother.

'Well, I admit I govern two provinces, one of which on your behalf as Qinghe is yours, Miyang is mine, but you're too young for that right now.'

'And Zhongqi's learning how to be family head and he's not too young for that.' Beiyue deadpanned with a flat look on her face with an armfold. 'Come on mother.' her mother chuckled at that. 'Teach me how to rule at least one province!'

'Alright dear, but worry about literacy and arithmetic first, alright?'

'Yes mother! Let's get this underway!'

Her lessons were Literacy, Etiquette, Arithmetic, Social Graces, Music(the flute), Art, Poetry, Law, Martial Arts basics...

Martial Arts Basics...

'Yue'er, normally, a child starts cultivating Ki into their dantian. But somehow, suddenly you gained massive amounts of Ki when normally, practitioners consume spirit herbs and pills in order to cultivate, but you bypassed that altogether somehow...we'll have to keep this secret so restrain yourself somehow to make things believable, alright? When you awakened your powers at age two-and-half, you are extremely powerful, more than 9-stars' worth of strength!'

'How believable do I have to be?' Beiyue asked, perplexed. Apparently, her massive mako reserves came with her upon being cleansed and reincarnated by the goddess.

'This level as it's expected of children who just started.' Princess Royal flared her strength for a bit, before lowering herself sooo low it reminded her of his days as a mere Cadet! 'So when you present at your fifth birthday, hold back, OK? We must keep your true powers secret! I'll tell you when to increase. But you'll still consume precious herbs and spirit pills. In this world, only the strong are respected and somewhere out there, there are those always stronger than us.'

'Yes mother.' oho? This may be perhaps to avoid stepping on delicate sensibilities...?

And so, by next year...

'Alright, let's test Beiyue and Rou's potential.' said Senior Master Qiyuan as the whole family watched as Beiyue and Rou were the last to present themselves.

They were made to hold Element-Testing Stone Tablets.

'Now, pour your ki into the tablets.' said Qiyuan. 'If you have an element, you have the potential to be a Summoner. The stars indicate how strong the element is with 9 being the strongest. But if no element, the tablet will glow gray. Begin!'

The two five year olds poured their ki into the tablets. Qiyuan, Yuancheng and Princess Royal noted how easy Beiyue made it look when normally, five year olds struggle doing it. The other siblings were just-as-stunned.

"She made it effortless! How?!"

Soon, Beiyue's tablet showed a reaction. It glowed red and green, with all nine stars on it.

'Ohhhh! A powerful fire and wind element!' Senior Master gasped out, wide-eyed. 'Congratulations Beiyue, you can be a Summoner!'

The other Summoner was Xiao Yun who looked disgruntled. She only showed three stars in both wind and water elements yet someone younger has all nine stars on TWO elements?! Her mother Concubine Xue may have a poker face, but Beiyue knew she's plotting already.

"In your dreams, wench."

Too bad for Rou, she was like majority of their siblings who have no element thus can only be Warriors. Sure there's potential in being Enchanter and Pharmacist but those two are highway robbery in training expense! Raising a Summoner was hard enough as it is, according to her mother.

Because her mother was a Master Summoner, her education was left to her as Xiao Yun needed Senior Master's tutelage still and he cannot divide time in both beginner and advanced classes. Only confusion will ensue.

Sooo yes, combat aside, summoning magic now too but the rules are different...

'Aunt Jiahe, tell the other maids never to allow an outsider in unless it's brother Zhonglei.' Beiyue told Jiahe who may as well be Head Maid of her mother's residence. 'I don't like the way Xue looked at me earlier!' Jiahe quickly left the room as if there's one thing the maids hated, it was Xue.

They were all girls from the royal palace, and loyal to Princess Royal because she treated them so well. So when she took in an outsider that betrayed her, the maids never forgave Xue. And due to their little lady's presentation outshining Xue, they have to protect their miss!

Genesis enjoyed this new lifestyle very much! Thus she conspired with her maids when her mother went to the palace to get needed things.

Beiyue studied real hard in all her lessons and sometimes, they go to Prince Liangyi's house, aptly called Hostage Mansion for training together and her mom also mothers the guy. He was three years older than her and a Hostage Prince from Beiyao, it's ninth prince. He was the family unfavorite for some reason as his mother would say he was a very gentle person. And growing up unwanted...well, Genesis knows psychology. So her mother mothered him when he was brought to Nanyi and mothered him for three years since she was a toddler and ongoing. So they grew up together too. Studying and Training together, and became friends.

She also taught him the poem Loveless and what she believes about it. After all, she had been a leading authority in deciphering and understanding it.

Sometimes, they go to the Royal Palace as the Emperor must occasionally check on political hostages.

She didn't care for late dinners as long as subjects aside, she also learns how to rule and manage a fiefdom. She was THAT ambitious.

In her second year at age six, her mother brought home a girl called Dongling, a girl two years older than her. She is to her who Jiahe is for her mother, and Jiahe is responsible for her education. So until then, no real interactions...

Beiyue whose intellect was that of an adult man, learns quickly, and passes her yearly public exams with no trouble. She was also said to be prudent and thoughtful, but also wants that she has the freedom to choose her destiny, her fate. So when talks about engagements came, everyone said their piece...and Beiyue is the last to be asked.

'Beiyue, what kind of man do you wish to marry one day?' the Emperor who was very fond of her asked her as they were in the royal palace with the royal family in a royal dinner. That meant Emperor, Empress and the Dowager, the Concubines who gave the Emperor children, and her father. 'You're old enough to be engaged.' he said when she just turned eight. By this time, she was a 'four-star' Summoner with a 5th rank black flame dragon under her command. She was a famous genius to grace Nanyi Country alongside her cousin Prince Zhangye.

'A fiancee huh? My standards are high in regards to character, royal uncle. I could care less about background as long as they pass my character checks.' said Beiyue with a raised eyebrow. 'To that end, I don't believe in the **garbage** called **perfect engagement**.' she drew out three words in a derisive, mocking drawled-out sneers with a matching look on her face. 'After all, people put up a nice pretty face in public, until they get what they want and by then, their true colors will show.'

She earned incredulous looks at that.

'Beiyue!' her parents choked out at their daughter's choice words.

'Oho? Then what do you have in mind?' the Emperor asked with a knowing look on his face.

'A kind, gentle and caring man with an extremely high moral compass, virtue, honor and dignity while capable of humility and respecting others, and very open-minded and understanding. They are to be prudent and understands responsibility and even then, they should know what truly is important to them.'

'I will not even spare a glance at those who are haughty, arrogant, despotic, bigoted, holds a lot of prejudice, runs from responsibility, has a lot of vices, lazy and no motivation because of coasting on their laurels, nor hold anything truly important in favor of superficial, but foolish things...oh, and chasing me for courting _because_ I'm a princess, wanting me to have royal connections for greedy goals. Those are my standards, royal uncle.' said Beiyue, sipping her tea. 'Any man who passes my positive standards, will gladly have me, social status be damned if they prove themselves to me. So I'll do my husband hunting if the noble sons disappointed me.'

'Whoa, that's a lot of standards!' her cousin, Yingye exclaimed. Beiyue raised an eyebrow.

'We are princesses Yingye. Our standards should be that high since it's US who gets bestowed for cheap business deals.' Beiyue drawled with a smile that never reached her eyes. 'Standard practice in most families these days.'

'Don't worry Yingye, Beiyue, father is not that kind of parent!' the Emperor sputtered out at his daughter first, then to Beiyue in that order. 'I will let you choose your husbands as long as I am Emperor!' he promised them.

'Yay!' Yingye cheered as Beiyue smiled at her uncle.

'At least we get a nice ending.' Beiyue chuckled. 'Any bright ideas trying to pawn me off, it will NOT end well and you wouldn't want a flame-element _angry_.' she smiled darkly, a smile that promised a painful death.

However, Beiyue's choice words held a heavy weight over the royal family adults, and eldest princes.

She was clearly insinuating something as she knows full well what she talked about. Even the maids were shaken where they stood.

This child...is no ordinary eight year old.

There was something about her that was scary.

xxx

Qinghe Province...

Princess Royal took her all over Qinghe on her wish, so Qinghe would know who their landlord is, and Beiyue held herself like a benevolent ruler, even dressing herself as a man when checking on farms and other production areas, and giving her ideas in order to increase production.

'My lady...princess really studied farming...she's even willing to step on muddy rice paddies!' Dongling, was stunned. Shocked. 'She must be the only royal willing to do that, nevermind a noble!'

'Beiyue is highly ambitious with high standards...even if it meant stepping on mud to reach her goals, she really will do it.' said Princess Royal with a sheepish smile.

Researching farming techniques aside, she also created revolutionary things for farming...and reformed Temple Schools for commoners and how should people eat, as most of 'her people' are 'So damn skinny, what the hell do they eat?!'

For Genesis Rhapsodos who grew up with cold, emotionally-neglectful parents, he tends to go out into the fields, brimming with curiosity about many things. What other families are like, and their farming livelihood, what was it like?

It was how he met and became best friends with Angeal Hewley. Together, they studied how farming was done.

Genesis was then fascinated that the food on their table...takes so long to grow, even in Banora's fertile lands. Yet they take it all for granted. He had been humbled by that experience. At a young age.

Qinghe was said to be a fertile land bestowed to her upon birth, making her richer than Zhangye since it annually earns 200 million gold. Not even a marquee earns that much.

But farming techniques?

Appalling!

Fertility was what keeps that 200 million! But they cannot coast on fertility forever damnit!

So yes, overhauling her land, was a MUST. She even insisted, 'Mother, overhaul your land too. These standards are worse than appalling! Who the hell taught these people how to farm?!'

Some vegetables take various times in growing. The shortest was a month with extra few days. These tend to be the cheapest food in the market, along with eggs.

She studied all the vegetables at home, using magic to determine nutritional values, something these people would not understand...and held lectures to all wives and servant girls in villages, towns and cities of Qinghe, emphasizing the value of Balanced Diet and how it affects growth.

And so...

Working hard, got Beiyue unprepared for what's coming in Winter.

'Dear, can we talk for a bit?' Princess Royal approached her daughter who was in her room, researching and studying.

'Sure mother, what is it?'

'...you're not Beiyue...are you?'

"Awww shit..."


	2. Ruthless Princess

Ruthless Princess

Princess Beiyue supposed, all good things doesn't last forever.

It was a happy four years with a kind mother.

Even after learning the truth about her, she still loved 'him' even though 'his' ending was a glorious end after over a year of being a creature of hate and anger.

She also learned what world 'he' came from using illusion magic and what 'he' used to look like.

Princess Royal never dreamed other worlds existed, much less a different culture, and her daughter used to be a soldier.

But she had to tell her daughter just what kind of war she fought in. It wasn't to protect a nation and innocents, but she became 'a hero' for protecting a man's profits, after getting hooked-line-and sinker by propaganda!

And many, many more wrongs 'he' never saw.

That utterly pissed her off because she had been deceived for far longer than she thought, and Princess Royal taught her the right things to use her powers on.

From the 4-star she was months ago, she removed more restraints that she was 5-star intermediate.

Since the revelation of her identity, she began wearing red, purple, white and black clothes with yellow embroidery designs, even designing her riding outfits, and having it made for her by royal tailors so only she would have it in the whole country. She also wears her long hair parted from the left with feathery bangs, and the rest of it in a high ponytail with fancy accessories.

But by early winter, her grandmother called her to the palace to spend time with her and that same day, at nighttime...

Her mother fell ill, and died by next morning, shocking a whole country.

The Black Cavalry didn't get to investigate as she was 'hastily buried' by Yuancheng, pissing Beiyue off into a rampage, burning down half the Xiao Estate in rage in retaliation, she had to be calmed down by experts who reached her and by that time, she was seen to have her father in a chokehold, beaten so black and blue they hardly recognized him and she was about to commit patricide. The other concubines powerless in stopping her as is Zhongqi who was unconscious from being pushed off as he tried to save his father from her.

The Emperor nearly lost his sanity in grief and loss. He also wasn't too happy they didn't get to investigate because of Yuancheng's hasty actions but he felt what his niece did to him, was punishment enough.

'Emperor's fu-ma...' Lord Geng Zhong gulped while kneeling down. 'He was found to have severe muscular trauma from a beating with countless swelling black-and-blue bruises and according to witnesses, she effortlessly beat him, a gold-Class C warrior as if 'he was a rag doll' and broke three ribs, his arms and legs into pieces. While he deserved punishment for interfering in an investigation, we managed to avoid her nearly-causing patricide. And she burned down half the estate in revenge with her dragon along with environmental damages from sorcery nobody recognizes. It sembled a warzone, milord.'

'Very good of her! Good girl Beiyue!' the Emperor praised in dark glee of murderous hate. 'Yuancheng that bastard, he deserves that for not even allowing an investigation to his wife, my sister's death!' the Emperor snarled, near-spitting in red-faced rage. 'I would have allowed patricide if I could help it!' Geng knew everyone knew in the palace that as long as Princess Royal was concerned, he'd likely burn down the country if she wanted him to because of his love for his sister that was both love for family and as a woman that Empress Dowager had to separate her twin children, Huiwen being married off to Yuancheng and the Emperor hated his guts, and was solely leashed by his mother and grandmother in their youth. At least as Emperor, he was a good parent, and a benevolent, just and fair ruler with no covered-up crime and corruption to his name. 'Where is Beiyue?'

'She's in the royal infirmary sire, after the experts had to knock her out or really burn everything to ashes.'

'I'll go see her.'

xxx

Xiao Residence...

In their respective pavilions, the concubines and their children were deeply shaken.

Their husband and father were nearly killed by an eight years old girl who went on a rampage because he interfered with investigation involving her mother's death, and burned half the estate. The servants were terrified speechless while cleaning up.

"It was good Yuancheng cleaned up a little too quickly, otherwise the poison would be found out." Xue thought in Glistening Lake Pavilion. It was also lucky he managed to survive as if Yuancheng is dead, what's stopping Beiyue from throwing everyone else to the streets? Not even Senior Master has power over her, with a backing like hers!

She was shaken.

'Mother, we'll be OK...right?' Xiao Yun, her daughter stammered out.

'We'll be fine Yun'er.' Xue cooed to her shaken daughter. 'Father lived, we'll be OK.'

In his room...Zhonglei wept. Not for his father but for the woman whom he loved as his mother. He would never get affection from a mother ever again.

His memories flashed before his eyes. Memories of the good days, gone forever.

In Autumn Hill Pavilion, Concubine Qin was both frightened and angry as she and her servants tended to her injured son who was swatted away like a fly when he tried to stop Beiyue.

'Zhong'er, are you OK? Say something!' Qin whimpered, holding her son's hand.

'Jeez mom, I'm not dead...' said Zhongqi weakly with a wince. 'My back just smarts, that's all.'

'Are you sure? You're not trying to go macho on me are you?!'

'I'm really OK with just a bruised back! Really!' that relieved Qin.

At least her son, the Family Childe is OK...at least she's now the strongest concubine in this house still, but that little she-devil of a brat is still lady of this house! When the royal family hammers their verdict, the house is in a state of waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop...not to mention it'll take YEARS to smoothen this over as word will spread for sure in court! Why did Yuancheng have to be an idiot in the worst time possible?! Princess Royal of all people! He should have let them investigate so they're innocent of whatever killed that bitch but the way he did it...she feared for their lives now!

In Hillside Meadow Pavilion...

Fang was mourning and the only one to do so.

'M-Mom, dad's not dead is he? You're crying!' Ling stammered out, worried.

'Father is OK Ling'er, I'm crying for the loss of a friend.' said Fang sorrowfully. 'Princess Royal was so kind to me and my only friend in this house. Qin and Xue are monsters I'd rather not deal with. She was the one supporting us because Yuancheng is pouring his money on Zhongqi and Yun...he neglected you, Zhonglei and Rou as a father these past few years...I worry for our future!'

'Mom...'

xxx

When Beiyue woke up, she was pissed.

'Report!' she snapped at Dongling who was by her bedside who squeaked at her angry mistress.

'Yes! Princess Royals body is prepared for Cremation in the Royal Cremation Chambers after they dug it up from the Xiao Estate...the Funeral Date is not decided yet...'

The news pleased Beiyue.

'That means her body is somewhat intact! Take me there now!'

'Yes miss!'

xxx

'Beiyue did what?!'

The news that she barged into the Cremation Chambers and kicked everyone out bar Dongling...and they can sense magic being used!

That got the Royalty running for the Cremation Chambers.

'Beiyue! Open the door this instant!' the Emperor cried.

'Almost done~' came the darkly-cheerful voice.

'Beiyue please! You can't! We don't know what you're doing but you can't stay in there! Beiyue!' Dowager Wende cried.

'Step aside!' Zhangye cried as he and Jing got ready to blast the door apart, but they only saw a red barrier appear on the front walls and door. 'Crap...' and no matter what they did, they can't get rid of it.

They waited helplessly outside...and soon, the doors slammed open.

'Beiyue...' the Emperor shook. 'What did you do?'

'I studied mother's body...and she was poisoned to death.' Beiyue growled, a dark look on her face as Dongling sadly came forward, a bowl of a spit's amount of green liquid within. 'It was a tasteless, odorless and colorless poison. Mother did not fall ill, she was murdered!'

'WHAAAAAT?!'

'If I find out who did this, I'll flay them alive, cut their body up painfully slow they'll beg me for death, and hang their innards like a festival decor! Down to the last infant!' was Beiyue's cold-blooded promise of hatred.

Again, the Emperor howled in rage and grief. Inconsolable. The Family was deeply-shaken by the new revelation that someone dared to kill a person known to be kind and generous.

Naturally, with Servants around, word spread like fire on oil...

...that Princess Royal was in fact, murdered on the sly in her own home, managing to poison her somehow and her daughter's brutal promise if she finds out who did it.

Soon, the Funeral was held days later. Everyone wore plain, white clothes.

All nobles and royal court with their families were present in the Royal Palace for the funeral. The citizens wore black bands of mourning. There was no work nor transaction made that day.

xxx

'Uncle, before I go home...I will return mother's land, Miyang to you.' Beiyue returned to the Emperor the documents and title that Dongling held for her in a case. 'I will keep Qinghe. Mother taught me how to govern my province, I will be alright.'

'Alright...I look forward to how you perform, Beiyue.' the Emperor hugged his young niece.

'Of course.'

The only Xiaos present that day, was Xiao Qiyuan and the children. The Concubines cannot come due to that law Qin caused to be made and Yuancheng was still on the mend thus was absent.

xxx

Hostage Mansion...

'Sorry I couldn't come...I'm not allowed to.' said Liangyi mournfully as Beiyue paid him a visit. He and his servant Lord Di Wen wore black bands too and wore white.

'I know. I came to see how you're holding up before I see second brother.' said Beiyue, emotionally-tired.

'Jeez, it's us who should worry about you...' Liangyi sighed, embracing the younger girl.

'Thanks.' Beiyue let herself sink in her friend's embrace. 'My soul, corrupted by vengeance...hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey in my own salvation and your eternal slumber.'

'Loveless Act Four.' Liangyi spoke softly, his chin resting on her head. 'Will you pursue?'

'I will.'

xxx

Back at Princess Royal's Mansion in Xiao Estate...

Beiyue began making changes.

After budgeting, ensuring she has a year's worth of salary for servants as well as food expenses based on menus she drew up for food, she ordered a ton of pills from Prince Xiaoyao. She had the adult maids talk about what happened that night, while subtly using Manipulate incase they clam up.

She got the truth eventually or at least, part of it.

'Is that right...something happened and mother knew she would die that night and just accepted it, and Aunt Jiahe followed her to death?'

'Yes miss...' Tianyu sniffled. 'That bitch Xuelin looks so smug that she gets to kill her too! Someone's clearly behind that bitch otherwise milady won't go down so easily! It's not fair!'

'I see...I'll raid mom's room.' Beiyue went to her mother's room to raid her drawers and turned everything upside-down. 'Damn! No note, nothing!' she fumed. 'No matter. I'll figure this out by watching that filthy loose cow vagina and milk her karma for all it's worth!'

The Mansion was encased in a barrier that projected nothing but malice that anyone who comes near, will shiver in fear and terror and unable to come near.

The older maids left. Apparently, Princess Royal let them all go with a generous retirement fee so they can get married. Beiyue was fine with that, as long as she can find replacements that's hopefully, no second comings of Concubine Xue.

Genesis Rhapsodos held no prejudice. But he drew the line in certain character traits.

She chose five girls with sweet, loyal, do-no-wrong personalities.

She gave them education and training. She trained them as her personal Turk brigade, and after literacy, math, manners, laws and social rules, Dongling was their Occupational Teacher. After that...training from hell!

She also designed their maid uniforms. The maid uniform consists of a white dress which was underneath a colored short-sleeved outer blouse, and a wrap-around skirt held in place with a band tied into a ribbon.

Since Beiyue chose red, she would give them the color pink. Cherry-pink blouse, blush-pink wrap-skirt, and lavender-colored band. Their shoes are dark pink. But during training, they wore a white blouse and trouser set. Dongling her Head Maid, wore red with pink embroidery on her blouse.

Of course, all girls she took in? Beautiful. She could have picked anybody but she has to maintain her status.

And to add insult to injury, they were servants given the chance to have a higher status come retirement, and a salary of 1 silver in loose change...as much as a foot soldier normally makes when even in the Palace, a maid makes only 10 copper coins. That amount is enough for a commoner family of four to get by with a full stomach for a month. That leaves someone else to work for other house necessities and of course, taxes.

But that salary will increase, the stronger they are. To motivate them into working hard.

And out of six maids, Dongling and two newcomers could become Summoners.

In a bid to rub it in Xue's face, she had borrowed Qiyuan's Elemental-Testing Tablets.

'Borrowing it? What for?' Qiyuan asked Beiyue, curious as behind his granddaughter, were her maids, all of whom, twelve years old and beautiful, very healthy girls.

When Genesis Rhapsodos found out how people eat in this world, a very unbalanced diet at that, she got appalled. Even worse when maids just eat Congee or Millet Porridge! So she insists all his maids eat balanced. A bowl of carbs, and side dishes of protein, fiber and fermenteds, and during work, her maids are permitted to snack only on nuts and fruits. Anything else is forbidden. And they were warned never socialize with the Xiao Family Servants or be fired instantly.

(Dongling had to explain to the recruits as to why)

'Well, I'm training new hires since mom's maids retired for marriage.' said Beiyue. 'I wanna see if some of them are Summoners.'

That caused the reaction she desired as Qiyuan obliged her request as she has no problems with him and Fang and Zhonglei. It was everyone ELSE she has problems with, so Princess Beiyue was respectful to him and he knew it.

Dongling(Ch:eastern water chestnut) was a 9-star Earth Element.

Xiannuo(Ch:elegant grace) was a 6-star Water Element.

And the third maid Qiangye(Ch:wild rose field) was a 7-star Fire Element.

'Ohhh! Such talents!' Qiyuan gasped out. 'And they are very lucky that for maids, they have the chance to become Summoners!' he exclaimed, amazed. Amazed that Beiyue was willing to let her servants grow into warriors!

'Well, why waste such promise?' Beiyue chuckled. 'Well, time to raise them~!' and she left with her maids.

All the while smiling evilly.

Servants will begin mouthing off to the Xiaos and when told no, resentment will fester...! She inspired dissent, dissatisfaction, jealousy and naturally when asking their bosses for the same privilege, given the personalities of Yuancheng, his women and children...ohhh yes. Her first step to revenge, was this stunt.

Well, needless to say the other family servants had to moan in envy that the servants hired by the Princess, are all Privileged! Getting training from their master yet they don't from their own master? How unfair is that?!

xxx

For those who had no element, Xiang Meng(Ch:to believe a dream), Meiyu(Ch:beautiful feather) and Xiuli(Ch:pretty), they were raised as warriors and pharmacists while the other three were raised as warriors and summoners.

Beiyue listened while teaching her maids.

By two years later, upon being tested by Lingyang Teachers...she adjusted her strength to seven stars' worth of power, Dongling was 5-stars in strength while the two other maids, 3-stars as Summoners. As for the Pharmacist Trio, they were all Grade 3, but solely specializing in medicine and health pills ONLY which was reason for their low rank. Beiyue never allowed them to learn how to make poisons, but can read about them in order to help heal which poison afflicted a person. Recipes were omitted. Had they also studied poisons, they would have been Grade 6!

Due to their diet and training, all her maids who were all fourteen years old, were slender, shapely tall beauties as a result of eating well. At least all were 5'5 tall when most fourteen-fifteen year olds, were 4'10. Beiyue was 4'10 tall for her current age!

In this world due to an unbalanced diet, the tallest a man can get here when puberty ended, was 5'9. All men she met in all nobility and royalty, were _that_ tall around late teens to adulthood. Commoner men were shorter. Xiao Ling, the oldest girl she knew as most noble girls were younger than her by a year or two, was 5'5. Hell, even Yuancheng's cheap women were 5'3. At least she was able to get her mother to eat balanced for years, making her 5'9 at her death.

As for strength as Warriors?

Beiyue was a Gold Class A. Dongling was Silver Class C. The other maids who just started for just two years, were understandably Bronze Class B.

For the Genesis within her, this ranking system was too cheap.

Silver Class C, Dongling's rank, classifies as the equivalent to 3rd Class Soldier Novice that had a year's worth of training. The Bronze Classes were what one'd expect from Top 20 SOLDIER Cadet Graduates. Hell, is there a class Diamond for her true levels? She was forced to hold herself back in order to know what Gold Class A was when her mother showed her in a private fight in terms of speed, agility, strength, and energy as well as technique execution. And after testing, she went SOLDIER Training on ALL of them.

It annoyed her, but she has to maintain a charade Princess Royal told her to maintain to avoid unwanted questioning from authorities. However, ranking and training be damned, she made her girls all physically strong, teaching them how SOLDIER uses their energy to augment their muscles with energy when needed.

Beiyue also permitted her maids to do quests as long as they finished their jobs in the house and training their cultivation hard in order to hit 'the wall' before taking a cultivation pill or herb formula to help them break through the next stage, and taking turns one day each girl in a week. They still get their maid salary though even though they earn more doing quests. But the way they are now, they can only do low-level quests in the Mercenary Union's Quest Boards.

People with 1-3 stars can only do Low-Level even if they're Summoners. The Mid-Quest Board is accessible only to people with 4-6 stars. High-Levels are accessible to those with 7-9 stars.

Due to her giving them the ability to provide for their poor families and a chance to be strong in a world where martial arts is EVERYTHING, they were insanely loyal to her. They were also well educated for their own good. So no matter how much they try, the Xiao Servants can't get anything from her maids.

In order to do quests when she gets bored, Beiyue often uses the Black Jade she found to transform herself into a feminine version of Genesis Rhapsodos with some alterations to fit in in this world as she imagined as tongues WILL wag if she, a famous personage, is seen doing quests, when she was **a girl worth 500 million**.

Her name in her alter-true form, was Shisong(Ch:to recite a poem) Yuan(Ch:origin). She just basically called herself Genesis Rhapsodos in this world's language! Shisong Yuan was 6'0 tall and naturally, she gave her disguise a form she imagined she would have if Shinra allowed women to be SOLDIER. Well, va-va-voom!(think Jeanne FGO)

And if Huang Beiyue wore her hair in a ponytail-braid, Yuan's hair was loose ponytail. Her clothes as Yuan were ordered in Bugiel Market. Her coat a fancier and armored version of the coat she wore as a man with matching gloves, a cropped black SOLDIER turtleneck, and SOLDIER leather accents and belt-wrap with short shorts just enough to cover her hips. Then a much sleeker version of her old boots.

Her sword as Yuan? A bastardized version of Angeal's Buster Sword. The blade was just like it, but everything else was different. A different color scheme and the handle was similar to that of her old rapier's, but tailored to accomodate the wide blade. Made with the finest materials money can buy. So it was a powerful sword capable of handling her full strength. She also commissioned a different sword for Huang Beiyue.

As for the current economic situation...

By exploiting Qinghe's fertility, Beiyue who once owned a 200 million gold land, can now earn 500 million gold due to so much food and low-level pharmacy herb output. By the tonnes. Miyang Province that once earns 120 million gold now earns 200, much to the shock of the government when they checked the books and imports.

She was once asked, 'How did you do it?!'

'Oh, a little system overhaul since the way things were done angered me when mom took me around Qinghe and I asked mom to do the same to Miyang before her death.' Beiyue smiled. 'When I got them doing things properly, it paid off, didn't it?'

Truthfully, she would have earned more than that, but she increased salaries of her agricultural workers to 1 silver when normally, they earn minimum of 20 coppers a month, twice over that of a maid's salary and managers earn 40. Now, farmers earn 1 silver, and managers earn 4. Fertility aside, Qinghe's one happy province hence they were all insanely industrious and motivated. When the Censorate investigated, Qinghe was as clean as polished mirrors. No sign of corruption. And is a little girl even capable of corruption, a girl raised by Princess Royal who was the model lady?

First year spammed 500 million already as when they got to Qinghe when she was seven, months away to eight, farmers were already preparing the fields.

She was a girl worth 500 million gold a year since.

"Haha, I earn more than that fat pig Shinra now." Beiyue cackled, happily looking at her account books. It was why she could support a bunch of maids, and her favorite brother in cultivation and still live in comfort. From what Sephiroth tells her, President Shinra earns 125 million a year. And doing environmental damage while she didn't harm the environment while earning money.

Perhaps she was just a much better entrepreneur than he. Serves that fat pig right for toying with lives for money, hmph!

Now then, time to check on Zhonglei.


	3. Visitation

Visitation

Xiao Zhonglei. a handsome on the effeminate side fourteen year old boy who's way too tall, being 5'4.

Sure he was the son of a treacherous viper but the neglect actually did him a world of good.

Yun was on her way to being Xue 2.0. An evil girl who uses and discards when they're no longer useful. But as she is now, she has to flatter her way to the top, and pretend to be a harmless flower, until the time comes to use her poison. Xue raises her that way and Beiyue knew it, Zhonglei knows it.

Zhonglei was a pure-hearted, gentle but hurt soul which was why he clings to Princess Royal and likes Beiyue more as a sister than his own flesh and blood and despises his mother for her role in his true mother's death.

To keep his true power a secret, he wore men's accessories anyone can buy in Bugiel Market, but enchanted to restrain his power. And like Beiyue, he too, had to maintain a charade.

He is actually as strong as her in combat and skill, but Beiyue got more experience than he did, so he always loses to her but improves. Suuure he went with his family to get tested when everyone has Skill Assessment every four years and he fudged his results. Then Beiyue arranged a meeting for his true prowess testing, shocking the faculty.

When the baffled Principal Cang He asked, 'Why did you two set things up so?' he questioned as Beiyue sent Zhonglei home to fib a lie to his family that he went to practice in privacy.

'I keep grudges, Master.' said Beiyue with a dark smile at the judging panel. 'And I don't take to betrayal to my family well. Do you seriously think, I'll let that slutty traitor Concubine Xue know I'm supporting her son who was my favorite brother in the house? That thanks to me, he's superior to the other children there save for me who's stronger than him? Since that cow neglected him in favor of showering her Summoner daughter with all she's got just to maintain the favor she gets from Yuancheng, Zhonglei loved my mother who gave him what his own mother never did. Maternal Affection!' she stated coldly, banging a fist on the table they sat around in, making them slightly jump.

'Bloody hell, even his own blood sister wouldn't spare him a glance as to her, she was beneath his notice and time while becoming as bad as her mother. I ended up being a sibling figure he never had either so he was a fruit that rolled far from the toxic tree he came from. While Qin was despotic, haughty, arrogant and foul-tempered when things don't go her way, at least she gave equal attention to her own kids that Xiao Rou was never left in the dust. Zhonglei wept genuine tears of grief when mother's gone because he would never know a mother's love ever again. Don't get me started on paternal love either. Zhongqi and Yun got everything the Xiao Fortune can buy barely sparing a glance to his other kids and I don't see that bastard as a father anyway.' she sneered contemptuously. 'The happenings in the house enabled Zhonglei to visit our mansion in secret.'

'Sometimes, the way Royal Uncle dotes on me from cradle to present, he was like a father I should have had anyway.' Beiyue chuckled. 'It sure as hell felt that way whenever I visit the palace when he wants me to visit.' she said fondly.

'So in your heart, his majesty is your father.' said Cang He with a sad smile.

'Pretty much. Sooo in public records, for Zhonglei's sake,' said Beiyue, clapping her hands once, '-maintain his fudged records on paper when all of us here know better.'

Thus to the public, while Zhongqi tested as Silver Class B even in his military merits, Zhonglei tested not even reaching Bronze Class C as he showed cultivating results of a practitioner who just started their first year...with his limiters on.

Without his two bangles and cuff earrings, however?

His combat prowess and skill mastery of techniques? Gold Class A. It was just too bad there's no rank higher than that, even for the Academicians as Huang Beiyue and Xiao Zhonglei were powerful fighters way beyond Gold Class A but Zhonglei's cultivation level matches the official rank at least. His and his younger sister's fighting ability on the other hand, they may be a duo version of the late Princess Royal...then there's Beiyue's cultivation.

**Arcane Levels**. Surpassing them all. Even Sima Guiyan who would breakthrough the 9-stars stage and enter Yellow Master Stage and she outclassed him! Yet on paper for the public, she also fudged her results! Just what the heck did Princess Royal feed this girl growing up, and now she's doing the same for her brother AND her maids? And her Summon, her Flame Dragon grew larger than last time they saw it, even growing wings and spikes, and past 12th-rank in strength. It was very powerful. However, due to Beiyue playing possum, both master and beast held back.

They were stronger than even masters who enjoyed long lives as fighters that lit up fires in the men and resolved to get better. Their prides are on the line here!

xxx

Zhonglei was so happy that to the Academicians, he was Gold Rank A in both skill and power as a Warrior.

The Xiao Family annual income from their province was 50 million gold. This was supplemented by taking high-level quests. Grandfather Qiyuan was a 9-star Summoner with a 12th Rank Fire Leopard, so his cultivation is boosted by his beast and he has his means of earning his own money. He's independently wealthy unlike his father and brother.

That family money(not Qiyuan's) often goes to:

1\. Yuancheng, Zhongqi and Yun's cultivation  
2\. Clothes, shoes and Equipment  
3\. Food  
4\. Servant's Salary and 5. Household Decor to impress guests.

There wasn't much record for him and Rou in family account books.

In fact, Rou and Zhonglei just started cultivating when he, 13 and Rou, 11. Or rather, it's Rou who just started. Zhonglei was actually miles ahead but he had appearances to keep on his royal sister's orders.

One dinner night on New Year's Eve, when Zhongqi was absent due to a military expedition against barbarians causing trouble, this happened.

Yuancheng ignorantly asked, 'Why aren't Zhonglei and Rou cultivating? Zhongqi and Yun are way ahead and the Skill Assessment is next year now.'

Qin, annoyed, said, 'BECAUSE ALL YOUR MONEY GOES ELSEWHERE! While I'm happy Zhongqi's cultivation is high, my Rou gets no pill nor herb from you! Not a single package with her name on it since she was six!' Yuancheng did a double-take at that as Rou looked cross and annoyed.

'What about Zhonglei? I had Xue distribute evenly! I thought he'd be his expected level by now.'

'You _actually_ gave me something?' Zhonglei asked incredulously. Yuancheng wondered what he meant by that when he could have sworn... 'I never saw any of it!' he exclaimed, leading to one awkward family dinner. 'Mother!'

'Surely you understand Zhonglei, your sister needs to cultivate, she's a Summoner!' said Xue kindly but also patronizingly. EVERYONE can see that.

Xiao Yun, thanks to getting what's supposed to be Zhonglei's share, just ascended to 2-star at age 14 and has yet to even touch Junior Training. To be able to form a Contract with a Spirit Beast, a Summoner must at least, be Level 3!

The servants thought, "Cold!" Coldly dismissive to even her own son's future! They felt some of her true self came out just now.

For years, Xue came across as gentle and soft-spoken even when she became a Concubine yet bore a spoiled brat in Xiao Yun whom she indulged so much.

His manservant(whom Beiyue hired for him when they were children and not part of Xiao Clan's servants) has a lot to say. He kept Zhonglei's secrets under pain of death from Huang Beiyue as the princess loathed Concubine Xue. Beiyue may love Zhonglei as a brother, doting on him in secret, training him even, but she hates his mom!

'Young master is a lonely, bitter young man.' this manservant, two years older than Zhonglei would say, 'He believed it's bad enough his father neglects him, his mother never looked at him since he had no Summoner Talent unlike his sister. He spends a lot of time honing his body instead and studying books all by himself and is a very quiet, sad person. He treats me kindly though.'

They could not believe the manservant Ping.

But this just now? She clearly disregarded her son Zhonglei and even caused a misunderstanding between him and his father whom he taught neglected him but actually giving him cultivation packages through his mother! But Xue never let Zhonglei have what's his, giving it all to his sister instead!

Come to think of it, not even once, did they see her dote on her son since he has no Summoner potential unlike his older sister. And Zhonglei was hardly seen around since, nearly a ghostly presence in the main estate. She never spared a single thought of him not even once. What a cold-hearted mother into blatant favoritism!

'That's fine and all but in this world where martial arts matter, I know who to haunt and terrorize as a ghost if I were to die because I never got the chance to cultivate! You had a role in my death then it's as good as you killed your own son!' said Zhonglei bitterly in contempt. He understood then what Beiyue meant about his mother now...through first-hand experience no less.

'Zhong'er!' Xue gasped, stunned by how he spoke back at her.

'Zhonglei!' Yuancheng now looked horrified as he realized what his son's reaction meant now...

'Can it you brat, I'm more important in this house than you anyway!' Yun snapped back.

'WHAT IS THIS, YOU AT LEAST _REMEMBERED_ TO GIVE ZHONGLEI A PACKAGE ALBEIT IT'S GONE ASTRAY YET NOT MY ROU?!' Qin thundered angrily, red-faced.

'Father!' Rou wailed in dismay.

This blatant uncaring towards him got Zhonglei bitter and treats his mother and sister coldly since as that was the year Beiyue saw that House Xiao was strained. Qin got offended for Rou's sake and Zhonglei now hates his own mother while Yuancheng tried to smoothen over peace in the house.

That allowed him to officially distance himself from family and Zhonglei cried to grandfather who gave his son an earful for gross neglect of his other daughter, failing to check on Zhonglei and called Xue out for her blatant dismissive attitude towards her younger son who, since that day, only shows up for meals since and was cold to almost everybody and shows no respect whatsoever and reputedly no longer answers anyone who wasn't Qiyuan and Yuancheng's calls. At least his father remembered he existed when he thought for years he was neglected and forgotten...no thanks to his own mother! Xue was punished by grandfather by not teaching Yun for that year. Their punishment for their callous attitude towards their own kin. At least Qin was a good mother to BOTH her children!

Xue was not only scolded, but also insulted with her ability as a mother and grandfather insinuated that Qin was the better woman between them, elevating her rival to the Senior Master's eyes, fearing for her position in the household now. Bad enough she had no backing...she was even a known cold-hearted woman to her own son, tarnishing her reputation as gossip spreads fast and Qin's reputation elevated in turn by her own blunder and her son crying to his grandfather.

Her son no longer respects her as his mother and no longer cares for his sister either and her retinue looking at them funny now...even when she and Yun shop in upscale boutiques, salesladies may serve her and Yun'er as they are paying customers, but the friendliness she was used to is all gone! Damn talkative servants!

Yuancheng was now spending time with Qin because he needed her happy again and a happy Qin means more power the Xiaos can get in court. He could not use Beiyue as Beiyue never forgave him for how he dealt with Princess Royal's death and she noted that she no longer gets Zhonglei's share on cultivation packages every month when it could have gone to Yun instead as only Yun can get her to rise and eventually become legal wife so they'll be legal, can't that boy understand sacrifice?

At least Yuancheng apologized to his second son, and personally hands him his share of herbs and pills since.

Beiyue would tell him, 'Sure the Xiaos are a family of Summoners for generations with Yuancheng being the odd duck out in the family tree, but the blood of Summoners in Yun is weak. Xue, a peasant nobody from Miyang Province has no history of martial arts. They're all just peasant farmers!' she would sneer. 'Yun who may have gotten a little luck in Summoning can never go beyond what she is now due to how limited the Xiao funds are. With the meager talent she has, it'll take a lot of herbs and pills for her just to rise in level when to most people with thick summoner's blood, only one or four is sufficient. Just for her to ascend a level, it costs 270 million in total in a few years when I checked the books. She's just wasting her time.'

'Well, Summoners have a brighter future.' Zhonglei sighed. 'Well, I can console myself with the truth that I long left her in the dust, sister. Yun's fighting ability isn't very good since she poured all her time into Summoning.'

Yun may have learned Summoning Magic since she was five. But she can never cast spells beyond Grade 2 for a couple years. IMPOSSIBLE. And due to neglecting her combat skills, she was only the equivalent of a Level 3 character in a video game in Beiyue's mind. But as a Warrior, had she put in effort, she would have been a Silver Class C by now.

To quote her, even Rou can kill Yun as she is now. Yun can't even qualify in graduating Basic Training. Rou was the better fighter as if not a tutor, it's Zhongqi teaching her even if Rou favors a sword and Zhongqi, a halberd.

Xue wasn't smart as she thinks she is. Sure she's cunning as a social climber but she has no clue about Martial Arts. In her mind, Social Status and Reputation are all that matters. She only knows Summoner Career by reputation and prestige. She must have thought Summoners are martial artists who rely on their beasts and magic to fight. That's it, as she found out by looking into Xue's memories regarding Yun's upbringing in her hands. Stupid idiot. But information she wants was under powerful mental enchantment protection! She can force her way through, but that would warrant unwanted attention...

Summoners supplement their skills with Warrior Skills as Summoner and Beast have a Life Contract between them. If one dies, so does the other. That was the danger. In the old days, Xue's beliefs and knowledge applied until one got the idea, 'Kill the Summoner so we don't have to fight his beast!' the survivors, seeing how easy it was to kill a Summoner attacked them in droves before they could summon their beasts, and war tides turned. Since then, Summoners are also now skilled fighters themselves!

That was in history books and that incident was written about, 350 years ago.

An ignorant peasant cannot raise a martial arts child. At least Qin has the ability, giving her daughter a tutor while Yuancheng personally trains his sons. Fang also has ability, being a maid of a martial arts household since she was a little girl and saw how things are done, but Ling was just born unlucky and inept at that.

xxx

Come early march, when snow is melting...it's still cold, by the way.

Zhonglei supplements himself by hunting herbs and doing quests. He has his own pocket money doing quests. As he -publicly- is now, he cannot do Mid to High-level Quests. But ten thousands are enough money for him to do shopping.

He buys himself fashionable clothes, but sadly, can only buy clothes within his family's color scheme as a son. Had he been born a girl, he could wear any color and design he fancied without overstepping boundaries on social status. Girls are far luckier. Annoyed at lack of choices, he begged his sister for tailoring help designs. So Beiyue designs for him, he gets it to a tailor to get them done. It's a bit expensive as he had his wardrobe custom-made while still following the rules of social hierarchy, but worth it!

The silver to nearly three gold coins in total in some outfits was well-worth it. Besides, he takes quests, earning at most, 50000 gold up to 90000 in low-level quests! And he does jobs every day since he turned 14 last year so he was somewhat wealthy on his own.

He consoles himself that he has a woman he can happily call mother even if she left the world, a caring sister, and a waaay better warrior and more handsome than Zhongqi and more accomplished than Yun.

There WILL come a time when he can drop the bomb on everyone. He just has to pick the right timing according to his sister.

Now is not that time. Too early.

xxx

As for Beiyue...

She was updating her Accounting Books after the rice harvest by the tons arrived in their Import Destinations and how much money was made in total. Rice is ALWAYS the last thing to be harvested as vegetables take 1-3 months before they're ripe for the taking, but she taught her farmers to pick vegetables at over half the time, this is when most vegetables are at their height of tenderness and flavor. Ready to be shoved into Space Rings for well-preserved transport for sale!

She just got 500 million a couple months ago. Again, spent on pills.

But for a certain type of pill, she hunted down ingredient locations for it as it's reportedly extremely precious as it's difficult to make, and it has to be made at a certain time of the year at that.

Xiaoyao could only make two at a time which was why it was crazy on the waiting game as the rest really DOES end up as failures. Two per year! It was maddening. But he wasn't the best in Nanyi for nothing. He could make two every year while most Pharmacists blunder until their supplies are used up, and getting lucky in just a rank 1 Marrow Washing Pill was already a miracle for them.

When she was 8 after the Funeral, she hunted. She lied to Xiaoyao that she 'waited for a bit' to ask him for THOSE pills for her and Liangyi. She found a hidden stash her mother hid, containing enough for two people...and loads of mistakes due to how hard it is to get successes!

Age 9, Zhonglei and Dongling's turn.

Age 10, Meiyu and Xiang Meng.

Age 11, Xiuli and Qiangye.

Last for this year will be Xiannuo and possibly one spare pill to give to someone else, if she deems them worth such a treasure.

To be fair to the new maids, they drew lots with numbers on which pair goes first and who gets last. Dongling naturally got top priority as she was Head Maid and their Commander. Not only that, they also take turns every month doing Censorate work in Qinghe and reporting to her for any criminal activity and operations while pretending to be peasants. Then Beiyue will summon the Black Cavalry to deal with their asses after concrete evidence is found, bases, who's who and who does what, activities, flow of illegal goods, the works.

Beiyue had to create spells and magical items to fulfill the roles of much-needed detective and forensic tools and cameras for her girls for them to function as Turks.

Next step in order?

'Alright Xiannuo, Qiangye!' Beiyue said during dinner as she let a cutout butterfly fly away from her outstretched left hand. 'You are now strong enough to obtain a Spirit Beast! Tomorrow we'll go beast-hunting for your partners!'

'Yes miss!'

'Dongling, we'll be camping for a week, so you hold the fort with the other girls.' said Beiyue.

'Yes, miss.'

Dongling's spirit beast is a 12th rank rock er...a skeleton of a huge bipedal beast about 9 meters tall and its edges are all very sharp with a just-as-long tail. Dongling can't even ride it, not unless she wanted a sliced rear end. It's physically strong with brute force. As you get hit by a force of a wrecking ball, you're sliced to pieces at the same time. Fun. And she chose it after days of searching as it was the nastiest she could find in terms of offense, reliability and easy to take care of. Personality wise, due to Dongling's fighting skill in beating it, it was afraid of her and very, very submissive. In the times to come, while cultivating, pairing up with it will further boost her cultivation as time goes by.

When Beiyue had her maids tested as it was only the maids who had truly-published Public Records...Dongling was a shocker. That she, a mere 5-star Summoner, got a 12th-ranked beast that was scared of her, proof she beat it. Spirit Beasts are always afraid of, and submissive to those that defeated it. Being a maid aside, she has a very lucrative career as a Summoner, earning money by the millions. She was basically, Xue's dream come true for Xiao Yun.

As for Xiang Meng, Meiyu and Xiuli, they were famously-known as Pharmacists who were only Grade 3 simply because their lady didn't allow them to study poisons as due to how her mother died, she despised any form of poison, even Aphrodisiacs, she didn't want ANY poison in her house. Otherwise, they were all very skilled, capable of creating high-grade pills of incredible purity by adjusting recipes according to studies in order to make a rank 6 pill of the same recipe. They thus possessed high-class pills which they sell for 10000 gold coins a pill at the lowest to even tens of millions depending on difficulty level as a Rank 6 pill is worth THAT much, no matter the recipe.

However, they dare not cross toes they cannot handle, thus they sell pills affordable solely for the poor. Let the rich have the better goods and besides, trying to make Grade 6 pills is hazardous to one's health anyway in Floating Light and Hollow Light Forests!

When the Test Results were publicly published via newspaper...

That morning,

'Miss, here's the daily newspaper.' Dongling gave her the newspaper.

'Hummm...the results of the Skill Assessments are publicized.' Beiyue mused. 'Shockingly early when usually its a month from now. Why early...?'

'Well, Nanyi is still barely-recovered from war miss...maybe they want new experts ASAP.' Dongling sighed.

'Ugh, war...it better NOT be if they want experts so soon!' Beiyue frowned as she looked at the results.

Last year's results were published with current results so everyone would know how young men and women below 25 years old did. Once you graduate Lingyang College, you are expected to be the best you can be by then.

It was by Career of course. By Order of Importance. Summoner, Pharmacist, Enchanter and Warrior in that order.

The Royals were on first page alone, followed by nobles by rank.

Summoners are graded by Star and Level, Enchanters are graded by Rank, Pharmacists are by Grade and Warriors are by Class.

On the Summoner's Page was this: from highest to lowest grades

She was a 5-Star that ascended to 7-Star Master as well.

She snickered that after four years, there was no change in Xiao Yun at all.

By Enchanting, she was at the top, being a Rank 9, she had a lot of inventions.

As a Warrior, she was a Silver Class A from last time's C

Well, she did fudge her results. Hehehe...

As for Pharmacy, naturally she has no grade there, having not applied. She had no time to study Pharmacy from all the work she was juggling!

Heck, she didn't have many chances to quote Loveless recently! The horror! The sacrilege!


	4. Family Issues

Lia Angelique: I dunno, maybe it's something I read in the novels with lousy translations...so I just went along with it.

* * *

Family Issues

In the Karta Continent...

Rivalries abound. Inside and Outside.

Competition on who gets stronger than the other was always there.

And Countries compete on how many number of experts they have.

Not just in between rival nations...

...even within harem households.

As there were talks among nobles and commoners as this was one way of knowing on who to match their children with, parents wondering at that, one of the most eligible maidens is single with a formidable defense wall...THE EMPEROR.

He had made clear Beiyue's wish in a talk once, according to a letter from Yingye. Her standards, were what were adopted by Zhanye as he was to succeed his father, he can't have a weak, useless empress with no thoughts about the future and just useless decoration and a political tool for her family. Due to that, he was showing that he was cold to others, making approaching him very difficult.

In the Hollow Light Forest's Boundaries...

Beiyue had her Flame Dragon descend to the ground, after flying for a month and half! It was THAT far.

Hollow Light Forest is huge...and a natural barrier at that between all countries. That is why safe routes are made over the years by digging up wide roads, but little progress is made at a time so they accidentally don't destroy precious herbs in the process of making a road OR encounter a nastie.

'Now then...' said Beiyue to her two maids, Xiannuo and Qiangye. 'Hollow Light Forest is the most dangerous place in Nanyi. Not even an expert dares to come here unless without a means to run like hell and escape alive. That's what we have. This is also an excellent place to get skilled Spirit Beast partners. Dongling and I got our beasts here.' she said. 'The cheap qualities are in Misty Forest outside the city, and somewhat-decent in Floating Light Forest but Floating Light Forest still has common beasts who have yet to ascend to Spirit Beasthood in cultivation. Not only that, they interbreed so quality isn't good.'

'But here in Hollow Light...pure spirit beasts.' Beiyue chuckled. 'Just a warning...they talk. Spirit Beasts and Divine Beasts in here can talk.' she said. 'Now that we got that down, let's go hunting. As we walk, think of your target. If none is available, make do with what you can have.'

'...we want cute ones...' Qiangye pouted as she and Xiannuo looked sheepish. 'We leave the scary beasties to miss and Dongling!' Beiyue sweatdropped at that.

But she indulged her maids anyway. Well-performers should be rewarded.

She was that generous as long as it was well-deserved. That goes double to people who anger her. She's just as good in dishing out well-deserved karma and likes it the slow, painful way.

Dongling's beast is a rock...skeleton-thingy, and hers was the closest to Bahamut she could get.

But she could also get other beasts, thanks to her Jade. A mysterious, but powerful item she obtained while exploring and exploiting Misty Forest as a child and found it hidden between a deep ravine. But owning two beasts is rare, even in Karta Continent so she dares not even if she wanted to.

She missed owning a lot of Summon Materia.

xxx

It took a week but it was a venture well-worth it.

Xiannuo was the first to get hers. It was a 13-feet long and 4-feet wide serpentine creature with a primarily cream-colored body. It has red eyes with long, pinkish antennae above them. Additionally, there are long, hair-like fins above its eyes, which begin thin and thicken towards the tips. These eyebrows extend to almost half of its body length. On top of its relatively small head is a straight spike. Running down either side of its neck are three black dots, similar to gills. Its lower body is a patterning of blue and pink, diamond-shaped scales outlined with black. The tail consists of four large, blue fins with pink ovals in their centers. Each of the tail fins overlaps the next slightly, causing it to resemble a fan.

It was a beautiful creature and a 12th rank beast and the fight was mostly underwater, a tough battle to win it over as Summons will not bond with summoners weaker to it in a fight. Because if one dies, so does the other!

That, was after encountering typical fish, frogs, and other water-dwellers that didn't appeal to her. There was even a leech creature so ugly but just as nasty they all ran in fright, forgetting they were powerful warriors at that moment!

Next was Qiangye. Being a fire-type, they had to hunt by desert areas so they had to travel further.

Hers was a quadruped adorable creature covered in short, orange fur. It has long ears with black interiors, black eyes, and a small black nose. There are three small toes and a yellow paw pad on each foot. Fluffy yellow fur forms a small tuft on its head, as well as its bushy mane and tail around its chest and neck. It was 5 meters tall too so it's huge in both height and width!

Good thing they can control the full sizes of Summons upon forming contracts...

Or maybe not!

Beiyue found a way to form a contract with beasts without that lethal bond while still mutually-benefitting each other.

After that, they all went home and the two new summoners were given tasks...to teach their summons new battle techniques to be useful in battle, so they will mostly camp out outside the city until their summons have offensive, defensive and support techniques, both individual for their partner, and collaboration between them both.

Due to that, she missed the annual Palace Banquet!

And after that...

Upon returning home, Dongling said,

'Miss, we have some problem.' she said darkly.

'What kind of problem?' Beiyue inquired.

'Master came to ask for money not long ago but he wouldn't say why. I rebuffed him with my Summon, full-size even but he keeps coming back!'

'I'll pay Qiyuan a visit. This should be good.' said Beiyue darkly. 'I'll take a bath before I pay grandfather a visit after dinner tonight. Send a missive to both his living quarters in the estate and his office in court incase he's not in one of those places. Meiyu, Meng, do the job. Dongling, Xiuli guard the house while we wash up.'

'Yes miss!'

xxx

Qiyuan pinched his nose.

He had been in court when he got a letter from one of Beiyue's maids.

He had no idea his son was trying to borrow money from his third daughter, all attempts swatted away by Dongling the Head Maid because Beiyue was out helping her maids get their spirit beasts. And Beiyue wishes to talk to him after dinner regarding the matter as Yuancheng is still not forgiven yet has the nerve to ask Beiyue for money?!

'Just what is that boy up to...very well. I'll meet her in her residence after dinner. I'll go to her instead.' said Qiyuan to Meng who nodded.

'Yes sir.'

'How has she been?'

'She wasn't happy when she found out upon coming home with the other girls.' said Meng. 'Master couldn't have spent himself flat broke that he's crazy to ask miss of all people...right?' she asked apprehensively.

'I hope not! I'm checking the family coffers!' the old man twitched. 'Where did I go wrong with that boy?!'

When he did, he tore his son a new asshole. Sure, cultivation is expensive, but did it have to be the point that he spent up their entire annual wealth, leaving nothing for other expenses?

He apparently bought huge purchases that his two wives wanted and didn't keep track of how much he had until too late. So yes, that dinner he angrily berated 80% of the family. 80% because Rou was too young and his eldest grandson earns his own pocket money.

Fang and Princess Royal never gave him such huge headaches for two daughters-in-law and Yuancheng was such a pushover...Fang at least wasn't materialistic!

Because for a month straight, Yuancheng got sent away, he finally asked Zhongqi to do questing for money and Zhonglei was harder to ask as he's rarely seen unless in mealtimes.

After dinner, he took the boy with him to talk as they made their way to Beiyue's mansion.

'Zhonglei, where were you when not during mealtimes?' Qiyuan asked his second grandson.

'Well, I took over a vacant pavilion and took to living there with my manservant Ping.' said Zhonglei. 'We cleaned up and furnished it.'

'Where did you get the money? Questing?'

'Yes. Even if it was easy jobs due to my level, the money was sufficient to clean up and decorate my new house and I'd prefer to live near third sister.' said Zhonglei. 'She was the only sibling I can go to anyway. She was a sister I wish I _actually_ have since she gave a damn about me even if she hates some woman's guts while Yun only cares for those who benefits her, selfish witch.' he spat. 'Like mother like daughter.'

'Is that right...so when you heard the family's broke...'

'Sorry grandfather but telling them I have money will make Xue and Yun try to sweet-talk and pressure me using family duty of all things when in reality I'll be cowed into buying them dresses and jewels as their extra wallet. I can predict that now.' said Zhonglei stiffly in an armfold. Qiyuan noted his sheer disrespect levels by calling his mother by name considering...she never cared about her son at all. 'If it was Concubine Fang, sure I wouldn't mind. I wouldn't give Qin money, she has rich relatives and Zhongqi quests. I like my independence too and unlike father, I can _actually_ budget. Princess Mother and sister hammered that down in my head, being Provincial Landlords along with that poem sister wrote.'

'Poem?'

'Third Sister wrote a poem and story she called Loveless. Apparently she also hammered it into Prince Lianyi's head when he visits. She published it recently as a book.'

xxx

Beiyue's Mansion...

It's his first time here. The house was painted in stark-white, with bright decor. So literally anything goes. The way there has a large pond and lotus and lily pads. He could also sense a 12th rank beast nearby.

'Welcome Senior Master, Second Young Master.' Xiannuo greeted. 'I'll take you to miss' parlor room.'

And so...

'Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess. We seek it thus, and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface. The wandering soul knows no rest. Grandfather, welcome.' Beiyue greeted with a smile after her usual quoting. By the parlor room was a gorgeously-feminine teaset, but he never heard of teacups with handles...

No tea in teacups yet, all's in the teapot.

On the table were little white balls he's never seen before...colorful but with what...? Thank goodness there's small silver forks!

'It's about that matter with my idiot son.' Qiyuan sighed as Dongling removed the teapot lid and used a silver stirrer to stir up the tea in the pot for a few seconds, before pouring tea onto the cups. 'I looked at the shopping...apparently, it's a bid to make both women happy since that scandal weeks ago.' he sighed as when the talk began, they partook in the white ball snacks that turned out to have sweet fillings inside, be it mashed fruit with honey, or...peanut cream?

'Sigh, what a puppet.' said Beiyue in disgust with an eyeroll. 'I heard he entrusted household affairs to them but that's worth a fart in the air-' since when did Beiyue use vulgar language? '-as they won't care as long as they get the latest fashion trends and only worry when they got nothing to spend. Him trusting Qin and Xue with budget...I'd sooner trust Fang with Xiao Coffers but...bad idea even if she was competent and actually do that job.'

Concubine Fang has no power in the household because she was the perfect concubine in terms of attitude and manners. Submissive to her husband, courteous, polite and virtuous. Qin and Xue have evil and cruelty in their hearts who can use their children to bully money out of Fang. Ling cannot defend her mother.

They knew that.

'Perhaps since Yuancheng's a moron who can't even run his house right, House Xiao should be entrusted to a competent relative as Senior Master's retired but still has highest authority being a former clan head. A relative who's powerful with a will of steel, someone not even Yuancheng can cross. Certainly not me, I have my hands full with several jobs.'

'Not me because of the women.' Zhonglei shook his head quickly.

Qiyuan thought a bit.

'Mm...I know just the person. I will arrange a meeting with all adult relatives involved, concubines not included. What other ideas do you have?'

'A thorough, ruthless character check.' Beiyue grinned, all teeth. 'It's high time the clan puts Qin and Xue in their place. And have Fang divorce Yuancheng and marry her to another relative who'll at least, take good care of her. She's a neglected wife.' Beiyue frowned. 'Because Ling had no ability, her existence was written off entirely and that's not even their fault.' she said. 'Nobody should be blamed for things beyond their control, but happened anyway.'

'It's as if Fang was blamed Ling was born with no ability for all four fields yet never gave Ling other career options she can at least, do and her education all but halted as Yuancheng never spent a single iron that wasn't clothes and food on them. She may not be fated to be a martial artist but there's always business. Teaching. Sewing and Weaving. And many more. Ling's already 19 but there's lots of time wasted. She doesn't even have housewife skills no man will marry her if they knew.'

'I'll take that into consideration.' Qiyuan pinched his nose.

'From mother's records, she has been financially-supporting Fang...and her last act before her death was giving Fang a large chunk of money so she and Ling can get by when mother noticed that Fang and Ling's not looking good for a Concubine and daughter. And from looking at Fang's books, she's an extreme tightlacer because she knows she can't count on her husband who abandoned them when Ling couldn't perform. You may want to pay her a visit.'

'Mm. I'll visit her after the family assembly.' said Qiyuan. 'Things have gotten bad even when Princess Royal was around, under my nose.' he grumbled. 'Maybe retiring too soon turned out to be a bad idea...'

'Maybe you should declare a new Head Family in the Xiao Clan.' Beiyue recommended. 'There's three families here in the main branch isn't it? The two others should be more competent. And since mother's death and the way he handled things, Yuancheng is no longer Prince Consort.'

Qiyuan made a face.

Due to that blunder that earned Yuancheng the ire of the Emperor and his daughter, he no longer has that title. And their positions during palace events were back to where it should be, Their table was no longer near the Royal Family's, though Beiyue sat with the royals, being a Princess. The Xiaos are no longer Imperial Family.

He was just glad that with the mess his son made, nobody in court attacked him since he was blameless and he had been in court when news came and he was just as surprised.

xxx

When Qiyuan left...

'Sister.' Zhonglei glanced at his sister who smiled like a cat that got a canary.

'Interesting...but we never met the relatives before.' Beiyue looked intrigued.

'I knew we had cousins but it's Zhongqi who mostly interacted with them, being a family heir.' said Zhonglei thoughtfully.

'Yes. Since I took quests as Shisong Yuan, I have known a Xiao Fan whom Zhongqi addressed. But really, ten million for a piece of Biling(jade spirit) Fruit and a large number of mercenaries?' Beiyue raised an eyebrow. 'What a moron...what's not to say Mercenaries found some, yet took it for themselves and then lie that they didn't find any while still earning that ten million somehow due to effort?'

'That COULD have applied, if we hadn't stripped trees bare beforehand.' Zhonglei sweatdropped. Beiyue laughed at that.

Well, every three years by following Princess Royal's notes, they know WHEN to get some and where. So on harvest day every three years, they come out early and pluck off everything, while planting a new tree in a safe place, near water. Thanks to that, cultivations skyrocketed. Excess fruit went to Feng Lianyi and Beiyue's schools.

So there's NONE for any hopeful in Linhuai City.

xxx

Three days later...

'Sister, you won't believe this!' Zhonglei cried, running into her office.

'What scandal happened now?' Beiyue asked, baffled while reading reports.

'Father and his wives are made to move out of the Main Estate by grandfather, though thankfully not me...' said Zhonglei. 'One of the families are moving in and are now declared Main Family so in palace events, it's them who'll come now! I don't know them, so...'

'Go hunt grandfather for answers. I'll check out the newcomers.' said Beiyue to Zhonglei who nodded and ran off.

Beiyue had taken off to look at the business of people.

Wagons loaded with belongings were being stuffed some more, and a despondent family getting ready to board.

But she noted that she only saw Yuancheng, Qin and her kids, and Xue with Yun. She hasn't seen Fang and Ling.

Perhaps they still live in Hillside Meadow?

For now, newcomers are priority.

This guy has also concubines. Or one is a legal wife? No idea.

xxx

Beiyue went home after the newcomers have settled down.

But!

'Miss, while you were gone, a letter from a Xiao Gangjian(Ch: powerful man of strength).' said Dongling, giving Beiyue a letter. 'What's going on? Second Master ran in, then both of you ran out!'

'Well, grandfather had relatives gathered in a meeting, no concubines allowed thing...due to what Yuancheng has done, grandfather decided that Yuancheng and his family are to be replaced due to extreme household mismanagement and being too much of a wimp to the point of financial bankruptcy.' Beiyue said in glee. 'This Gangjian must be the new Family Head.' she said. 'Let's read this letter out here so we'll know.'

She then began as the maids paid full attention.

_To Princess Huang Beiyue, my niece,_

_Words cannot express how angry we all are when one day,_  
_suddenly we found ourselves bankrupt and even MY money_  
_I and my sons earned in our careers are gone...and learning_  
_from Grandfather that, that fool will be the ruin of us all._  
_Originally, Family Clan Head Status is passed down from_  
_Father to Son, but thanks to this revelation, some exceptions_  
_can be made...like what that fool has done. Thanks to you,_  
_we will finally get our chance to shine, after Yixiang and I_  
_and I passed grandfather's tests yesterday to prove our mettle_  
_as clan head. (ch: profiting from good luck)_

_Yuancheng was only Clan Head solely because he married_  
_Princess Royal in order for the clan to look good, because it_  
_was a good opportunity for our clan to truly shine and the_  
_wastrel wasted his huge chances that plunged our good name_  
_more downward than upward. No offense, but what was Empress_  
_Dowager smoking when she married such a high-profile person_  
_to my fool of a cousin? Clearly she didn't deserve him for a_  
_husband since he clearly preferred his unaccomplished concubines_  
_who only know how to spend instead of being proper wives and_  
_mothers._

_She should have chosen one of us two instead, after grandfather_  
_filled two of us in after our character tests of going-ons. I promise_  
_you that we are better and more capable as Clan Heads. We would_  
_not mind having Concubine Fang for a neighbor and we wish good_  
_relationships with our remaining relatives in this Main Estate. Our_  
_grandfather allowed her and Ling to remain after she divorced that_  
_moron after you vouched for her. My legal wife Mingya has been to_  
_see her to see what she can do now that she's single again.(ch: graceful, person of peace)_

_My family and I would like to meet you and my nephew Zhonglei_  
_for tonight's dinner, still so much settling down to do. And to my ire,_  
_the servants of the main household haven't even cleaned up when_  
_we got here. They're so lax and undisciplined! Please do not mind_  
_future screaming as we must instill discipline once more, and I_  
_desperately need to talk to you to understand what is going on in_  
_this house that we came here like this. Perhaps, a little bit of some_  
_salary deduction and physical punishment will make them grow up._

_With best regards,_

_Xiao Gangjian_

'Well...wow.' Meiyu whistled.

'This should be interesting...' Beiyue mused with a raised eyebrow. 'Dress in your formal uniforms tonight after a bath and thorough grooming, so finish all your chores by 2 pm.'

'Yes miss!'


	5. Family Issues II

Fans of Feng ni Tian Xia may think I diverged off of Canon. But this is how I imagined Genesis!Beiyue's story will be and how she does things. For Assassin!Beiyue who reincarnated as princess with the same name, her story is canon-accorded.

* * *

Family Issues II

That night...

Beiyue dressed in casual-formal wear.

She took her maids with her just so the newcomers would know who her maids are.

Zhonglei and his manservant came, just as groomed and wearing their best clothes.

'Sister, are we going to be OK?' Zhonglei asked his sister.

He asked Qiyuan what kind of people the newcomers are.

Gangjian has three wives. One legal in Xiao Mingya, and two concubines. From Mingya, he has three daughters and the youngest, a son. From Concubine One, he has twin girls and Concubine Two, one son from a horrible breech birth she can never bear children ever again as her organs took quite the damage that to save her life, her reproductives must be removed. Doesn't help that he's a big baby at the time...

When Mingya bore daughter two, he married Concubine One and he tried again for a son. Both still have daughters. Concubine Two happened when he met her in a social gala with his two wives. He decided he likes her character and married her as a Concubine. This time, Mingya and Concubine Two bore sons.

Gangjian was a man of high-standards and strict with discipline as he wanted a good reputation for himself and his family, and chose his wives based on reputation after a thorough investigation when he was in his early 20s. While within closed doors he allows freedom to be themselves, outside of home, he wasn't different from the likes of Qin's father, Qi Daheng(ch: lasting accomplishment). But to his fury, all his good work for nothing as the head family's reputation affects EVERYONE who wasn't a retired Clan Head. So he was the most vocal at that family meeting.

Doesn't help that Yuancheng angered the Emperor to the Xiaos aren't good in his eyes.

Zhongqi barely clung to his Childe Status by a thread due to his many accomplishments and of good-repute. However, by a thread. As of now, he is the strongest son. But if his reputation falls, he's easily replaceable.

Qiyuan, with Beiyue's backing managed to get a meeting with the Emperor regarding changes in the family and they have no idea how Emperor will react now...so Gangjian was nervous.

At the Xiao Main Estate's Dining Room...she was given the seat of honor, given her status.

'Ohhh! I have heard you're beautiful just like your mother, clearly they speak the truth.' Gangjian greeted with a cordial smile.

His family looked at Beiyue and her retinue who all stood behind the youngest princess. All of whom, tall for their age and beautiful in their own way with red eyeshadow on their eyes and black eyeliner. They also wore the same hairstyle of neat half ponytail with the rest worn loose with wide white silk ribbons. Beiyue wore bright reds with yellow embroidery over black inner garment with a coral-pink long scarf draped around her arms. Her hairstyle is in it's usual pony-braid but adorned with a red and gold haircomb with a hairpin on the right side of her head.

The maids wore a white inner garment with 3/4 frilled bubble sleeves, and the outer garment is a plain much-subdued shades of red with yellow, subdued trim. The red skirt was cut into petals over white wide silk harem pants, showing their feet clad in red shoes. While the five other maids have similar uniforms, one maid has a more striking style despite same format. And the only one with pink hair! The other girls have different shades of brown hair.

Zhonglei dressed in family colors, but his fashion was very different from his family's. He has his own sense of style and very tall and fit. His manservant was as formally-dressed as Beiyue's maids.

"Hmph, why can't these estate servants be like them?" Gangjian thought with a harrumph as he approves of how disciplined his niece and nephew's servants are. 'I'll introduce my family to you...'

As he introduced his family, Beiyue and Zhonglei observed.

Xiao Mingya was a 40 years old woman who was clearly given great importance as out of Gangjian's three wives, she has access to cosmetic pills. Her children got her blue hair and gold eye color with features sembling both their parents. His trueborn children also have porcelain-white, smooth skin and luscious, vibrant hair in elaborate hairstyles and dresses. She has a soft expression on her face. She was once a Department Head's daughter but could only afford to have basic training. Her father earns 5 gold a month. He cannot support Cultivation, but better than nothing, and teaches his children Politics as he hopes for them to get into Court. Considering she's politically-savvy, she's one to watch and her kids.

In this world, the only legal excuse you have for being weak is because of money. Cultivation, even for Warriors is expensive even if the Warrior and Pharmacist Profession is the cheapest to afford Cultivation in. Since he married Mingya, he enabled her to have a chance to cultivate and as of present date, she was a Gold-Class C Warrior.

In order of birth, her eldest at 20 was Jingli(beautiful crystal). Jingli was a 5-star summoner who should have broken to six if Yuancheng haven't spent ALL their money, including what's NOT his! Second was Weili at 18(beautiful rose). Also a Summoner about to break through to 5. Third is Xingli at 16(beautiful star). Unlike her martial family, she prefers a more...peaceful occupation and has no warrior's spirit and deliberately no ability in fighting, but at least an accomplished Grade 3 Pharmacist(knowledge in good and bad pills). His first son at 16 is called Deshi(virtuous man). If his sisters have it androgynous...he was the exact opposite in terms of looks, thought Beiyue's party. A potential future lady-killer. He is a 3-Star Summoner Intermediate. He wore his hair long and combed backwards, with a typical hair accessory often used by first sons and nobles to wear, so some of his hair was in a half bun.

Concubine Shan(virtuous) is a woman of 34 who has peach-fair skin and very light brown hair with dark brown eyes. She was a merchant's daughter who could afford cultivation at youth, with the education of a Warrior, Mercantilism and Accounting. She has talent to be a Summoner but too expensive and her father must spend to earn. Enchanter-Alchemy was even more out of the question and she cannot do Enchanter-Magic as that field requires fine ki control. OK, another woman to watch out for...as she has mercantilism connections. She was a young mother and a Gold-Class A at her prime.

Her twin daughters at 15 were Lian(lotus) and Xuan(orange-day lily). Both have the gray-black hair of the Xiao Clan and their father's silver eyes. Same hairstyles even but they wore inverted shades of green over white inner garments so they can tell who's who. The older twin Xuan was a Sorceress, Rank 4 with a childish disposition. Lian the younger twin is a tomboy, favoring being a Warrior...and tomboyish antics but in public, capable of being a Miss. They were the only daughters to show personality that dinner. Mingya's daughters were like dolls, most likely wanting to give a good impression to their royal relative. Deshi at least, showed some personality by analyzing everything with his eyes. He clearly has high standards like his father.

Frankly, Beiyue preferred true selves more.

Concubine Lin(luster of gem) who also has peach-fair skin with straw-blonde hair and green eyes, came from a prominent family of doctors and nurses. She just turned 25 when she underwent concubine marriage to Gangjian, and bore her only son Rui(auspicious). He was a few months younger than Deshi. A breech BIG baby as Concubine Lin took pills that suppressed pregnancy cravings so she could eat healthy when she got pregnant at 28, eating plenty of vegetables, fruit and chicken, not touching rice even once in her pregnancy term. She's now 44 and the eldest of the wives. Well, she got the healthy baby she wanted and paid a high price...but she regretted nothing. Although she now spends her life in a wheelchair due to damaged hips, not just...organ loss.

Rui was large for his age. A big-boned kid with tall height to match for a 16 years old boy. He is clearly a warrior by his musculature...and most likely, to help his mother around. His long hair are all shoved into a tight bun behind his head with long sidelocks by his ears. He seems to be a man of few words.

The talking was mostly left to Gangjian and Beiyue(who showed her good side) who introduced Zhonglei and her maids...leaving the newcomers shocked that her maids were all capable fourteen year olds. They had never heard of a noble educating their maids to become prestigious martial artists who all have lucrative side-careers other than earning a silver a month from their maid's salary! Their obligatory salary may as well be pocket change!

Due to that much praise, the other servants could not hide their jealousy try as they might to keep poker face.

Something the new family noticed...

xxx

After dinner...

'Princess, what is going on in this house?' Gangjian was straight to the heart of the matter, his expression a far cry from his cordial friendliness earlier. 'The atmosphere alone when we came here this morning!'

'Well, you'll have a lot of listening to do.' Beiyue said wryly. 'Answers will come as my tale continues. To be honest, I despised Yuancheng and his women who wasn't Fang. And I despised Xue more than I despised Yuancheng and Qin.'

'Something foul is going on.' she continued. 'Someone wanted mother dead.' she spoke coldly. 'They hired Xue to poison mother and mother let herself be killed according to her former maids. She sacrificed herself to save Linhuai but they don't know why and how and from what. All I know is that whoever this is, they're high in the food chain. Clearly not royal uncle, he dearly loves mother and dotes on me and the way he was around mother it was like eternal springtime dripping in honey, so he's not the culprit.'

'The maids said Xue looked all too gleeful in poisoning mother, that traitorous, social-climbing cow vagina!' wow, for a royal to use those words, Beiyue clearly hates Xue! The new family's eyebrows shot up so high from being stunned. 'She bit the hand that feeds, and clearly does not know her place. From one from a poorer-than-dirt peasant family, she has the ambition level of a greedy aristocrat. She uses and discards accordingly.'

'Bad enough she had the balls to do that to my mother who was more of a human being than her...even her own son Zhonglei is a discardable piece when he didn't show Summoner talent at five, so mother took him in secretly and gave him what that skanky slut never did, a mother's love. I grew to love him as my older brother too because unlike Yun who was Xue 2.0 who also disregarded her own sibling with her selfish, self-important personality, he was a sweet, but sad boy and only knew happiness when he goes to our house in secret, and an older brother figure in Prince Lianyi who was my frequent visitor when he wasn't busy. I don't mind him showing up out of the blue though I have to tell him when I'm going to Qinghe for my job as Landlord.'

'Frankly between Yun and Zhonglei, Zhonglei came out better in the end. A fruit that rolled out from a toxic tree.' Beiyue sneered. 'Watch out for Xue...now that Yuancheng's clearly of no use to her anymore, she may gun for two uncles next and seduce her way to concubinage again. Yun was a tool she could use despite her weak Summoner's blood and not strong enough to even own a spirit beast. She made Yun dependent on her emotionally, raising her to be just as bad as her with high ambitions to match. Now that they are barred access from the family coffers now, who knows how far and to what low levels will Xue go now with her daughter.'

'Unknown to those two loose holes...' wow, how many euphemism of hateful insults does she have! 'Zhonglei was worth more than they imagined...and I ensured that.' Beiyue grinned in dark glee. 'I trained him that he's secretly more than he seems...and at the right time, drop the bomb sometime soon in Lingyang College this summer. Zhonglei has disowned them in turn. It's why grandfather still lets him live here next door to me and does quests to support himself. Due to that, he mastered budgeting.'

'As for Yuancheng, his heinous crime is interfering with investigation about mother's sudden, shocking death, hastily-burying her when a maid told him she died of illness the next morning. I'm sure you heard what I did.'

'Who can forget _that_? All of Linhuai knew!' Concubine Shan squeaked much to the girl's glee.

Beating Yuancheng aside, she performed her own autopsy, and her threat to the killers.

'My revenge was slow, but painfully-sure.' Beiyue's eyes glinted coldly. 'I planned everything out. My first step was to cause resentment towards Yuancheng's family from the inside. I had my maids trained and educated, before their elemental-testing in front of the whole family. I knew the maids and some manservants tried asking if they too could have training and education. Guess what Yuancheng and his women predictably did?' she chuckled.

'That's why since that day two years ago, their performance as servants were barely-passable. Even better, they don't notice! Yuancheng focused on spending money for cultivation, shopping and training, leaving the household to his wives two of whom, hardly did their duties as wives in their jurisdiction beyond the bedroom fun, more into hobbies and raising social-climbing daughters by crook. Fang at least, cleaned and maintained her side of the estate, even planted flowers and shrubs, so her area is at least looking good and smelling nice. Her servants didn't resent her since she was once their fellow maid and were good friends in their youth as they served this household since they were teenagers.'

Gangjian knew he should hire new help and dismiss almost all servants in this house if he wants good household help. Having their personal aides deal with this large estate is IMPOSSIBLE.

'My second chance came when that moron tried to borrow money from me. I just heard when I got home when I helped two of my girls get their partners. I told grandfather who checked the coffers, leading to that meeting...I basically finished him off in the shadows before he drags the Xiao name to the mud even further with his incompetence since Qin and Xue have his ears. He let them do the thinking for him. He may be a Military Duwei but clearly, that did not come with good household management skills or grandfather DID teach him but he implied he wasn't interested according to grandfather so he regretted letting Yuancheng let his wives manage the house. Xue will get hers coming one way or another. Right now, funds are limited and lucky for Xiao Rou the pills to begin her cultivation is on the cheap side to reach Bronze Class C...grandfather decided to give Yuancheng an allowance of 2 million gold a year to teach him budgeting or die trying.'

'What about Qin?' Mingya asked her.

'Ahhh, heard of that scandal a year after Yuancheng married mom?' the family sweatdropped. 'Really now, another woman who's not smart.' Beiyue chuckled. 'She thinks that Prince Consorts now have access to the Royal Treasury's vast coffers thus seduced him that day and the idiot's pants loosened that night. Well, she got what she wanted...with a tarnished reputation and disowned by her father...and learned too late that he has no access to royal money, the idiot.' she chuckled. 'Mother had Yuancheng take her in out of pity. While mother's reputation was damaged by the idiot, she took it in stride as the public doesn't know the truth. While she got stuck to him on grandmother's orders, she has nothing for the man, so she let him do whatever as upon marriage, she was a trophy wife to him.'

'Had he actually showed he cared for her as his wife, Yuancheng might have had access to mother's money but noooo, it's the most beautiful, powerful and accomplished princess who fell on his lap, a woman worth 120 million gold and that's nearly as much as Lord Anguo Gong earns a year from his own province. Aunt Jiahe, mom's head maid would tell me mother saw through his character and didn't let him touch her until the royal family wanted a child from her and here I am.'

'And when mother died, Qin fancied herself the lady of the family...poor ignorant soul...**I** am the lady of the family she's in as long as Yuancheng's the family head...' Beiyue did an eyeroll. 'For now, I let her do her antics as beneath her rotten self, she cared for _both_ her children. In fact, she unwittingly helped me damage Xue further on that fateful dinner...'

She told them what Zhonglei told her. He got the bitter experience right then and there, told Qiyuan what happened that dinner, and from what her spying maid told her, Yuancheng and Xue got quite the lambasting for gross callous attitude, and he liked Qin more now, thus Xue's status is now worse than Fang's, even if Yuancheng still goes to her for the brain he lacked, but was shaken by her disregard of her own son.

'Until the day I get the truth out of her rotten head, I'll make her downfall nice and slow. I'll make her lose everything before I kill that wench.' Beiyue chuckled sinisterly. 'I hear grandfather talked to uncles about Concubine Fang since he said he'd put in a word.'

'Oh yes, Grandfather ordered Yuancheng divorce Fang due to his gross neglect of her and his daughter Ling. You're behind that too?'

'Of course. He's such a wretch, throwing away a good virtuous woman in favor of women with vices and evil in that order just because he got a daughter that cannot perform martial arts. Fang didn't deserve him.' she drawled as a blob of water entered the window, making a beeline for Xiannuo who held it in her hand. 'Xian'er?'

The water bubble let out a pretty song only a creature can make. It was a minute long.

'Miss, at the same time, Concubine Fang and Concubine Xue visited our mansion.' Xiannuo reported. 'I had Shemei trained to blast 'the unwanteds' while letting Lady Fang and eldest miss in, so rest assured Xue's a wet duck.' she giggled. 'Even funnier, she's in her usual white dress so as she runs home, she's as good as walking about naked on the streets!' her fellow maids burst out laughing.

'Serves her right!'

'**I...see...**' Beiyue smiled a smile so bone-chilling, projecting quite the malice. 'What could she want, eh...? Now that Yuancheng can no longer be a wallet, she's crawling back to the child of the woman she enjoyed killing to become a lady? She's got some nerve.' she said in a thinking pose.

'It seems you have house cleaning to do, Princess.' Gangjian ended the talk with a good closing.

'Indeed so...I'll attack through Lingyang College if what I find out isn't to my liking...there's only so much shamelessness a person is capable of doing until they annoy the wrong person...and to her, I am just that.' Beiyue chuckled. 'Again, watch that woman. If you give an inch, she'll take a mile as she had done to mother...and I am not that nice.'

xxx

As the princess and her retinue left...

'...I'll have a lot of laying off to do now that I know why the servants are so underperforming.' Gangjian sighed. 'What do you think of royal relative?'

'She has a grudge that's for sure!' said Weili, rapidly fanning herself with her own hand. 'All that's missing is murder on the spot!' she exclaimed.

'We have no idea what she's like as a normal person...today she's all grudge and revenge.' said Concubine Lin. 'I don't think too much hatred is healthy. I wonder if we'll ever get a normal talk over tea.'

'Let the princess cool down before we get to that. She's probably thinking another way to attack Xue.' said Concubine Shan. 'She's a woman on a mission and if we end up getting in her way, we'll get in trouble.' she fretted while shuddering.

'Yuancheng and Xue brought this on themselves...the wrath of a princess worth 500 million gold. Moron of all morons.' Gangjian sighed. 'At least she knows not to kill us all off because of two idiots. Most people aren't rational. For now, we must show her that we are nothing like her...unfortunate family.' he snorted. 'I expect everyone that on your first social debut as the new Head Family, not a stain will mar your names. Understood?' he told them. 'We must give a good first impression!'

'Of course dear/father.' said his wives and children.

xxx

At home...

'Ara, Ling, not even hiding under a table will save you from Shemei.' Beiyue sweatdropped. Ling was hiding under a table, shaken and her teeth chattering in the parlor room when they got back and made a beeline for the room, where Fang would likely be.

'I keep telling her that but...' said Fang sheepishly. 'Then again, that beast is so huge...and beautifully-deadly.' she shuddered.

'It was hard finding that cutie because Xiannuo and Qiangye wanted cute partners.' Beiyue deadpanned. 'It's hard because most spirit beasts are on the scary side!' she said wryly. 'So while you coming here is fine, you got the bad luck of coming here with that skank.'

'I didn't know she'd pay you a visit either.' said Fang with a shrug. 'She seems to have the face of a woman on a mission.' she sighed. 'What could she want? It's not like she's broke. 2 million is still pretty big. She can't be _that_ greedy!'

Fang was here to ask for her best cosmetic pills before she could start life anew, aided by Qiyuan in finding schools for Ling to enroll in, in order to make something of her life.

Winter had ended then, marking the way for spring.

Fang had Ling stay in Qinghe where it's safe for her to study and educate herself. There she's safe from Qin and Xue's children as Ling will be used to wring money out of her mother no doubt. Fang has a sizable inheritance from Princess Royal, enough to live in comfort till she and Ling went old and gray with so much change left over if Ling never married.

In the meantime, Beiyue observed two families. Yuancheng's and Gangjian's families...and sends letters to her uncle.

In the meantime...

Someone found a certain book lying around.

'Loveless...' the author was one Huang Beiyue.

This person read the first few pages.

This person chuckled as they put the book down and ran to their room and burst out laughing.

'This should be interesting! Genesis as a Princess!'


	6. More Trouble than You're Worth

More Trouble than You're Worth

It was horrible.

It all happened too fast!

It's only shopping, why did grandfather all throw them out of the Estate!

It was a shock that they couldn't wrap their heads around it.

This was what Xiao Rou was thinking.

Father took mother and the skank out shopping. She was at home alone, cultivating.

Next thing she heard, they ran out of money...that can't be right?

Because Zhongqi was out on a long-term mission with the military, they can't count on him. Not only that, it'd be weird if father was seen questing!

So father thought to ask Beiyue of all people for money. It was Xue's idea.

'Mother, you can't be serious!' Rou choked. 'That slut's setting him up for trouble! Do you remember what happened last time?!' Ohhh she can't forget what happened when she was eight...it was a scene of hell with two monsters! She was afraid of Beiyue since that day.

'I know but we have no choice Rou'er, your brother's out and tongues will wag if your father did questing.' Qin pinched her nose. 'Xue's bright idea better not bring trouble to us or I'll strangle her!' she swore.

'What about grandfather? Surely he'll lend us money!'

'Rou'er, we'll get in trouble so we have to keep this under wraps.' said Qin anxiously. 'If father finds out, we'll be in trouble!'

For days on end, father was chased away by Dongling's spirit beast. What can two Warriors do against _that_? Dongling has a 12th rank rock-skeleton beast!

Soon, Beiyue herself came back. She was out helping her maids get their partners now that they were 3-stars unlike stupid Yun who was barely into 2!

And then one night in family dinner...grandfather lambasted father, mother and the skank. Not only did they go shopping till they were broke, they even used money not theirs that belonged to their relatives!

Yup, she was right...Xue brought nothing but trouble!

And that was just the beginning.

And in three days, they were all kicked out of the estate, made to live in a smaller house their relatives used to live in. It's so small! How did they get around this?! And they're expected to get by without a single maid! Are they serious?!

'Mother they can't expect us to do things by ourselves! We're nobles!'

'Xue used to be a maid, we can use that!' said Qin in dark glee.

'And have her _poison us_ so she'd be Mrs. Legal? No way!' yeah, that put out Qin's hopes of making Xue work instantly!

'No choice...surely wiping stuff and sweeping's easy...we'll just hire a person to do our laundry and we'll buy food from outside.' Qin decided. 'Rou'er, prove you're more useful than that Yun, she's useless! Father will like you more if you prove you're reliable! I'll smooth-talk father in the meantime.'

Rou gulped. Surely she can do low-level quests the way she is now...right?

She sought out easy jobs in the Mercenary Union after registering herself for ten copper.

She quickly chose the easiest job, she doesn't care if payout is low. A few thousand gold will go a long way for food at least!

While she enjoyed father praising her for once, mother delivers breakfast to father in bed.

xxx

Yun was wondering how the hell did this happen.

One day she's in her gorgeous room in her mother's pavilion and now they're in this small place! Why?!

'Mother, why did grandfather move us into this hovel?! What happened?!' Yun cried as their residence is so small, it cannot fit all they owned!

'Well, we made a mistake that got other relatives and grandfather angry at us but rest assured grandfather isn't mad at Yun'er.' Xue reassured while inside, she was upset. Grandfather didn't have to go this far in punishing them for a little overspending! Surely the relatives will cool down!

She never met them.

All she knew was her husband, her rivals and their children. That was it.

How was she supposed to know that Yuancheng has brothers? What kind of people were they?

The first she saw the new Head Family, he was very severe! He too, has three wives, and many, many children. Loads of daughters and two sons! All beautiful with prettier clothes than hers...and those girls are a threat to her Yun! Who are they?!

She seethed and asked Yuancheng on who they were, who replaced them for a minor blunder!

'That's my older brother Gangjian and his family.' he said. 'His legal wife and two concubines. They're mostly Summoners far above our Yun. We cannot mess with them.'

WHAT?!

Beautiful. Powerful and now richer than her?!

This can't be!

The plan was to wait for her chance to kill Qin so she'll be legal wife! Fang's long out of the running, she was to be mistress of the house! Even that brat Beiyue will bow to her as her now legal mother, princess-be-damned!

And now she has more to deal with and all Summoners?!

She decided to play nice for now, wanting to talk to Beiyue about the newcomers around nighttime. She just didn't expect Fang to show up with Ling.

'Fang? What are you doing here?'

'Father's orders and you're clearly not meant to come here. Aren't you banished?' said Fang coolly. How dare this bitch beneath her status talk back to her?! But for now she's outnumbered so she'll stay her hand...for now.

'Whatever mother, at least we're allowed in here, can't say the same for her!' Ling snorted smugly. Xue looked annoyed.

'Now listen here eldest miss...'

OOOOOOOHHHH!

They heard that sound as a huge, beautiful serpentine creature showed up from beneath the lotus and lily ponds. Ling squawked in horror but her mother looked calm and took things in stride.

Xue didn't expect this house to be guarded by a spirit beast! It's probably her maid's as Beiyue's was a MONSTER!

And why did it fire bitingly-cold water at _her_ but left Fang alone! What made Fang, a useless concubine so important enough to step foot in this mansion?!

She had to flee before she gets sick, the way they are now, they can't afford a doctor until they get money somehow! Doctor's services yes, Pills are another thing entirely!

As she ran out, people are looking at her weirdly.

'W-what are you looking at?'

'Have you no shame girl?!' an old woman barked. 'You wear white and soaking wet! You're showing off your birthday suit!'

'Isn't she Master Xiao's concubine?'

'Ah, that's Concubine Xue!'

'Hey, I know women can be confident with their looks, but walking out practically naked? Master Xiao's taste in women are interesting!'

Mortified by this, she stammered defensively, 'This isn't what you think it is!'

'Oho? Then what happened then huh?' the same old lady snapped. 'Go home and get dressed you shameful girl! Already a married woman and yet flashing more men your goods?! Did your mother not teach you how to be a proper girl? What a failure!' surrounded by intrigue, Xue fled, red-faced.

"Whoever owns that darn snake, I swear I'll kill her!" Xue swore, her reputation tarnished! She had to tell Yuancheng the truth before he believes these damn know-nothing-know-it-alls!

Going out was hell the next day as word spread too fast.

'Oh Xue~what's this I hear about you walking out naked yesterday?' Qin purred with a dark smile. 'The neighborhood ladies told me something interesting just now while I went out for steamed buns!'

Shit. 'Shut up, Qin!' Xue snapped angrily, red-faced.

Yuancheng looked at his two wives and groaned as Rou cheerfully set up the table, ensuring only he, her mother and she herself gets to eat.

'Hey, where's mine and mother's?!' Yun demanded with a frown.

'Why don't you go to work and be useful?' Rou sneered. 'I went to work yesterday and I brought home food! Work for your meal, buster!'

'Why you!'

'LADIES!'

Yuancheng wishes Zhongqi comes home soon. He can't deal with this by himself!

He then heard a carriage stop outside their door.

'Concubine Xue!' father is angry again...

xxx

Zhongqi got a letter from his mother and sister while he was at camp.

The long letter shocked him that his ghost came out of his mouth at the same time he threw the letters at a bonfire.

'...bad news from home I guess.' said one young man to another.

'Don't tell me Master Xiao angered Princess Beiyue again! What'd the idiot do this time?'

'Beats me...oooi! Xiao Zhongqi, your father isn't barbecued yet, right?'

'Worse! My parents and Concubine Xue angered grandfather big time!' Zhongqi cried. 'It's a disaster!' that was all he can say to avoid intrigue. Such a vague answer is sufficient because he has his own reputation to protect aside his mother and sister.

'Ouch!'

Not far was Zhanye reading Yingye's letter to him...regarding the Xiao Clan happenings in the palace and Beiyue had a hand in it.

Her revenge against the Xiaos are somewhat-done. It's incomplete as Beiyue was missing pieces of the puzzle to find her mother's killer and motive.

Zhanye wondered as well.

Who was capable of killing Princess Royal of all people?

Beiyue will stop at nothing and he knows that. She studied her mother's body by herself and even caused her father's downfall as a clan head.

But what will she have, after she gets her revenge? And she'll kill all involved. Does she even know what laws she'll cross for it?

He's worried.

xxx

Summertime came. First month into it alone?

'Gawd it's hot...I knew I should've planted more trees...!' Beiyue groaned in her office.

Sure she planted trees and using pills, made trees grow taller with a thicker, wider canopy than it was normal for their species, forming a group of natural umbrellas over their mansion. But not to the point that it will damage her flower garden by denying them of light, so she planted trees where the sleeping quarters and her office are.

But that wasn't enough, apparently even if her home has sufficient shade on one side. But alas, garden, her garden...! Her garden needs sunlight.

'It'll be time for school soon.' Beiyue thought.

Heh. School...

In Qinghe and Miyang, for the next fifty years, everyone within that generation who wants an education can enter her schools regardless of age as long as they're unmarried. After that, uniform age will soon be six years old. She even built Tourist Traps and recreational games places and health spas!

She'll be an old woman by then who can maintain her youth. Immortality is possible here as long as your cultivation level is high enough.

She finished her work so she'll have less to do come Lingyang College.

Speaking!

Her mother taught her and left her books about Literacy, Etiquette, Arithmetic, Music, Art, Social Studies, Poetry, Law, and things Warriors, Summoners, Pharmacists and Enchanters must know.

'Princess, Prince Yi is here!' Dongling called out.

'Coming!' Beiyue stood up to go outside her office to see her friend in the Parlor Room.

xxx

'You didn't show up for the Banquet this year.' said Lianyi. 'Xiaoyao's sad about that.'

'Hey, work is work.' said Beiyue. '3-star Summoners must have a Spirit Beast.'

'And those are 12th-rank beasts out and about.' said Lianyi flatly. 'Normally 3-stars can only get a 3-star beast or a 4-star if they get lucky.'

'What can I say, I got high standards!'

High standards indeed, Lianyi thought.

Since coming back from Qinghe when she was eight, she had pulled his manservant Di aside...and he began serving way too much food! A bowl of rice, and many side dishes since. Rice. Meat. Vegetables. Fish or Shellfish. Eggs. And a bowl of fruit!

_'Princess said she was horrified with seeing how thin her people looked.' Di would tell him. 'They were worser than you and to think they weren't ill, so she dumped this cookbook on me and said I should serve this much from now on for improvement and there will be more training results from eating a balanced meal.'_

_'I can't even stomach this much!'_

_'She said eat it or she'll turn you into a frog, and she'll look at your state after a year. Is there even such a spell in this country?' Di shuddered in fear. 'I should do the same too, I don't wanna be a frog...'_

Well, his friend was quite the strong-willed but well-meaning girl...

And he really didn't wanna take chances, she knows unusual spells of her own design, it was a struggle!

At least in his years in Lingyang College, he got better. Taller and better muscle development. And his illness didn't bother him as much, even with his usual medicinal pills!

So he took to eating a lot, resting, and training. She also had a hand in it, too...so underneath his flowy robes, he has a slim and slender, but well-sculpted and strong body. They sparred together or he spars with Xiao Zhonglei who looks up to him as a big brother figure to him.

'It'll be your time in Lingyang soon...what classes will you take?'

'I'm dead bored with East College things, might as well go Imperial but even then, Imperial College has nothing to offer me either...' Beiyue complained. 'I'd go landlord all the way but...uggghhh.' she moped. 'All royalty and nobles MUST go! Who made that dumb-ass rule anyway?!' she whined.

'It's a status symbol Beiyue.' Lianyi told his whining childhood friend. 'And graduating a prestigious school tells everyone you're the best of the best.'

'Well I'm in for a few boring years that could have been spent more productively.' said Beiyue with an eyeroll.

'Well think of it this way...you're fiancee-hunting.' Lianyi said with a wan smile. 'Your standards must be passed.'

'Well, at least that's one single reason to waste 90% of my time.' Beiyue sighed. 'Being a landlord is a full-time job.'

'Well what classes will you take then if you'll go Imperial?'

'Humm...Literature, History, Military Tactics, and to go outside, Mount Archery.' Beiyue decided. 'Everything else I already studied since I was six, no point.' she stated dismissively. 'Let's go to the Assessment tomorrow together so I'll be bunking in your house again. Your house is nearer to that school than mine is.'

'Mm.'

'Sigh...My friend, the fates are cruel. There are no dreams, no honor remains. The arrow has left the bow of the goddess.'

xxx

And so...

'So much for going to Lingyang together!' Jingli complained as she got word from a maid that breakfast. 'According to the pink girls, she and cousin Zhonglei stayed over at Prince Lianyi's place last night! Apparently they take turns sleeping over at the other's house every fourth week of the month! Well, today's just first week but it's School Assessment...and Prince Yi lives close to City Walls so it's faster to get to Lingyang that way...'

'Whaaaaat?!' the other daughters cried.

'S-stay over with men? Alone?!' Mingya looked faint. 'Zhonglei is a relative but Prince Yi is not!'

Sometimes, Beiyue acts like the OLDER sibling between her and Zhonglei and weirdly enough, looks up to her. His situation was complicated as it was.

For years Zhonglei was neglected in many ways by Xue because of his sister who was a potential tool for success and Zhonglei has no element. Xue was a woman of evil from a peasant background who will use and discard anything to get her way to the top.

Sleep with her mistress' husband?

Kill her years later?

Disregarded her own son?

Check check and check!

'That's another thing to ask.' Gangjian twitched. 'I know Beiyue kept her distance from Yuancheng but to the point she's fine and dandy with staying over alone?! Inquire at school as soon as exams are over! Yuancheng may be a neglectful idiot, but I am NOT!'

It was one thing going vulgar at things she despises, sure that can be overlooked as long as it's kept in-house but this?!

xxx

Lingyang College...

They headed for the Imperial College while Zhonglei went to apply for East College's first year in the Warrior Course.

The Warrior Course has it all. Physical Conditioning. Hand-to-Hand. Dagger. Edged Weapons. Pointed Weapons. Blunt Weapons. And Weapon Arts.

For the first four years, Physical Conditioning and Knife Combat are mandatory classes. They are then to select Weapon Arts that corresponds to a specialty a student wishes, and then given those classes.

However, the first four year course can be skipped if one proves their ability in the Assessment Exams. Then for the rest of their seven years in Lingyang, they are to choose a Specialty Class with their corresponding Weapon Art.

Zhongqi favored polearms and Rou favored swords and short swords.

Due to being trained in daggers and swords, he met Rou in the Assessment for beginners while his cousins went for upper year testing.

'Zhonglei? You're taking the sword course?'

'Well yes, grandfather trained me in swords.' Zhonglei lied. 'I'll skip the Four-Year Mandatory stuff by showing what I've got.'

'It's impossible to skip and you know it.' Rou deadpanned with an armfold.

'Heheh, you'll see.'

Rou wondered now. Since Xue verbally disregarded Zhonglei, Zhonglei disregarded her back and was apparently, taken in by grandfather since.

Mother will want to hear this...

(Later, she learned why Zhonglei can legally skip; she was speechless. While she was aptly a freshman, Zhonglei skipped to Grade 5 Swordsmanship and Sword Art classes despite his poor cultivation levels.)

xxx

In Summoning College...

Xiao Yun knew she will see her cousins for the first time. Their time moving out notwithstanding.

She looked around.

Her first hint were women with purplish-blue hair and gold eyes. Most likely a pair of twins will be nearby.

Mother told her to try to get along with them in hopes of being invited in the future so at least they can legally re-enter Xiao Estate again.

For a banished trying to re-enter illegally...Yun shuddered. Her mom's nuts, why did she barge in like that to talk to Beiyue? Grandfather banished them to teach her father, mother and Qin a lesson and sadly, kids dragged into their mess too...grandfather punished mother for trespassing, and showing off her body in the streets with public flogging! With sticks!

Yun was so mortified that day, she got letters from school friends what they thought about it and disassociated with her since.

She was a 2-star Summoner...for now she'll deal with exams first.

This is boring.

Her knowledge is worth 7-star and yet she's stuck here because of her cultivation levels. However, come practicals, she really can only do 2-star spells so she was stuck.

Sigh, alone and friendless because of her mother of all people...the connections she gained, lost. And her friends' handsome brothers won't look at her anymore and father tried to comfort her but the damage is long done!

She was a ruined girl.

Her only hope now was to gain respect somehow!

It was her only motivation NOT to fall into despair!

After the exams...

'I'm promoted to 7th year in school now! I'll graduate earlier than I'm supposed to!' Zhongqi announced happily as he got home.

'Wonderful~!' Qin squealed, glomping her son. 'Rou'er, how did you do?'

'I did great mother! I got in!' Rou chirped. 'Oh yes, I have juicy gossip!'

'What gossip dear?'

'It's about Zhonglei...he managed to skip the mandatory four years of Warrior Course!' Rou exclaimed, stunning the family. 'Grandfather trained him for that privilege so he went straight for Sword Classes and Sword Arts!'

'With his level of cultivation?! That's too reckless!' Yuancheng cried anxiously. To even be in 5th year, one must at least, have the minimum of Bronze Class B to perform! Yet with Zhonglei's sword skills, he got so far already?

'I asked that too...the examiners said he can learn skills by lecture so he can catch up with performance when his cultivation improves. So why waste time in Year 1-4? The Jury all agreed on it!'

That was not what Xue was expecting...the son she dismissed as worth nothing suddenly got worth something?

This needs looking into...


	7. School Reunion

School

This person sought information by sneaking onto the Xiao Residence to gain information about his target.

"Never thought I'd see him here with me...at least I'm not alone in this world!" he thought, relieved. He may have gone off the deep end, but all he wanted was to live and take back what was stolen from him. His pride and his life. But Degradation made Genesis lose sight of his goal out of pain.

He understood that much.

And now, he was reborn here.

Funny, he was from a poor family once, now, he's stinking rich that he had no idea what to do with his life.

He decided to go for Warrior. Besides, doing what he does best gives him some form of comfort other than he's not alone in here anymore..

Though there are things he could do WITHOUT, thankyouverymuch!

He took to stalking Genesis...but he went to Imperial College?!

With his personality, he would've gone for Warrior or Enchanter Course! What's he thinking?

It's not like him to settle for something...boring?!

For now, he'll go for the Warrior Course. He should go to where he's comfortable in...

xxx

After the exams...

He too, skipped the mandatory classes. He could go take up Sword Class and Sword Arts for the rest of his years. He then asked if it was possible to go to Imperial College too.

'It'll be hard as east and west side are separated by large grounds but it's possible.'

'Can I use a horse to get around?'

'You can as long as you bring your own.'

With that, he happily took classes he knew Genesis would take.

He knows this guy well enough.

xxx

That noon...

He went home on his carriage. If only no one waited on him, he could have stalked Princess Genesis and get him to notice that he's not the only one in this world.

Then again, he can always send a letter!

xxx

And so, late afternoon...around 3:45...

Beiyue took a late lunch because of the exams that take place at 8:30-2:30. Then a bath.

Her maids were hard at sparring in the backyard under the trees while cultivating at the same time to get two birds in one stone, so it was Dongling cooking while she was marinading herself in the tub.

When she first saw what bathtubs here are like, no better than glorified shallow barrels, she got annoyed as a kid, drew a bathtub, had it custom-made and patent it under her name. Next thing she knew, it became popular. And because it takes so much hassle to make, naturally it's expensive, The plainest tub with no design, was 3000 gold. She naturally earns from design patents.

So here she is now. In a comfy porcelain bathtub. The maids' bathing area also has a porcelain...bathtub. With a catch. Their is a round jacuzzi-style they can sit on. Water can be warmed by large fire crystals after drawing water. Good for winter, but fire crystals are also useful in summer...for taking the heat away from the water, making it cool! And Shemei's handy but when it goes out to cultivate by eating other beasts in Misty Woods...yeah, no airconditioning. She has to do...

'Miss, you have a letter...it's anonymous and in code?' Meng asked, puzzled.

'Code?'

'I checked to make sure Xue's not the sender but...do you know this?' Meng asked, giving the letter to Beiyue who took it to read. 'A public postman delivered this here so I don't know who sent this.'

It's in letters from her old world!

_Hi Princess Gennie Gen-Gen!_

Beiyue wants to **murder** this guy now...who dares to call him Gennie Gen-Gen?!

_I thought I was all alone out here until I saw a Loveless book!  
But I coulda sworn the play was different? Oh well, you prolly  
made differences to fit in in this world. If you're here, hopefully  
Angeal is too...and possibly, my buddy Cloud._

Ah, it's Zack-the-puppy. He was with an Infantryman. A young kid who clearly failed SOLDIER Exams(read: mako injection adaptation). All who failed end up in Shinra Ground Infantry under that incompetent Heidegger.

_An Infantryman on that fateful day in Nibelheim, Hojo-bastard  
got us and experimented on us then left us floating in tanks like  
pickles in a jar until I got out on my own. Fuckin' atrophied cuz  
we were there for four stinking years...then you know the rest._

_One thing you don't know? I returned to Midgar for my girlfriend  
but...Shinra Infantry got us. I got gunned down full of ventilation._

Only Zack will joke about being gunned down, Beiyue thought wryly. He won against her in a fight and yet...it's terrible for a SOLDIER to lose to shitty guns. But it can't be helped. That's their only weakness...mobbing and a rain of lead. Turks probably had a hand in it.

_ My buddy is now my living legacy. Hope he's doing OK, he barely  
got over Mako Poisoning...next thing I know I'm reborn to a rich  
family in this world...and hah, I'm a year older than you now! But  
why the hell did you end up a girl and not in a boy? What would  
you say to this again? Oh yeah! 'Infinite in mystery is the gift of  
the Goddess. We seek it thus, and take to the sky.' Appropriate  
for this situation of ours, don'tcha think? Our weird reincarnation  
is the mystery gift!_

_I stuck around our world with Aerith for a bit...she died 4 years  
later cuz' of Sephiroth who's gone nuts, and idiot merged with  
more JENOVA Cells...he ain't the Seph we know anymore. He  
even tried to destroy our world with a forbidden Materia that  
summons Meteor! Theonly way to defend was the Materia  
in Aerith's possession that casts Holy. We watched over Cloud  
together until he got over my and Aerith's deaths that he blames  
himself for...when it's other things that killed us actually  
and he had no hand in it. Sweet but stupid. Then when Aerith  
decides her friends are OK, we can finally move on...but WHERE  
is she?!_

_I knew you were here since I saw a Loveless book lying around  
...either my new mom or servant girls owns a copy...hopefully  
Angeal's in this nice world too. Where the heck is he if we ended  
up reborn nearly at the same time? Let's go Angie-Aerith-hunting!_

_-Zack_

_P.S- President Fatty's dead as well as Heidegger, Scarlet and Hojo.  
His son Rufus, upon seeing what usage of Mako cost us, stopped  
and dismantled all Mako Reactor operations, and took to alternate  
Energy Sources that doesn't harm the planet. _

_Yeah, he'd be motivated as because of Sephiroth, the Planet let  
loose WEAPONS. Yes, capital letters. Huge-ass monsters as big as  
Shinra Tower in height but thrice as wide and he nearly got killed  
by one, being the fatty's son so the Planet thought he'd continue  
his dad's legacy and tried to kill him. That's one hell of an impression._

_When he saw that horror, he resolved to change and Aerith put  
in a good word to the goddess. She's the Planet's last TRUE Cetra  
that Seph killed, not that butt-ugly thing we saw in Nibelheim. _

_Reeve Tuesti built World Regenesis Organization with Rufus' money  
and all people who are environmentalists joined for research. Satisfied  
with that, Aerith and I moved on, knowing they'll be OK and the Planet  
ain't after their asses anymore. I'll tell you more as something happened  
before Reeve and Rufus created WRO._

_Let's meet up in school in Lunchbreak on our first day yeah? Bring packed  
lunch so we don't have to deal with servants listening on our conversation.  
I'll look for you in Imperial College._

So, a lot happened since she died...Beiyue took on cringe as she burned the letter. 'Some idiot I know tried a hand at coding and he sucked. Barely a passing grade because it's barely legible.' she lied to hide how she truly felt to her maid. Relieved that she's not alone in this world though it had to be Angeal's brat, but better than nothing.

'Oh...'

If Angeal is here...where is he? And she never knew Zack died until THIS...he knew the Lifestream possessed a miraculous power, enabling the dead to remain or give life and power. But a sadly misused power by Shinra. For now, Rufus Shinra managed to redeem himself but he has the proverbial sword above his head by a thread.

Her favorite epic should have been quite the calling card if Zack found her first! So yes, where's Angeal? And Zack said Sephiroth went nuts...he was quite sane last she saw him. Hojo might have a hand in that because everyone in Shinra knows _he personally sees to Seph's injections_.

Oh yes...

If she sees him, she'll deck him.

xxx

Zack Fair.

Died at age 23 though he spent some of that sleeping in a tank.

He is reborn in this world as Bugiel Luoluo. Damn, his name sounded weird but what can he do? His new folks named him that way.

He came here with his Mako reserves that stunned his parents and organization as apparently, they're a large group of merchants and mercenaries, responsible for imports and exports. Rich like the Emperor cuz' of that...so funding everyone's cultivation was easy-peasy.

But he came with the ki reserves of 'arcane class' they say!

Nobody could put heads or tails. But his dad had the sense to shut everyone up or a toddler who knows not what he's got will be in danger, not when he lucked out with his successor! He was a chance that would never happen again, so his parents were overprotective of him and hired tutors within the Family.

His power was a tightly-kept secret. He was able to become a Summoner because of his Earth Element though he wanted to be a Warrior, but his dad wanted him to have a pet beastie as a bodyguard! Oh, come on.

He had to deal with honing his body the SOLDIER way and ate healthy.

Re-training's a pain in the ass...his family thinks he self-trained himself as his techniques were quite different, but OK, his father let him enter the Warrior Course to learn Sword Arts as everyone in the organization were mostly Summoners, Enchanters and Pharmacists, they can't teach him Warriorhood. They can teach Summoning and Magic though, and some Pharmacy. Welp, when he refines pills, he quickly melts them down into Potion Bottles so he has some semblance of familiarity

His mind spun but he wants to live longer than 23 this time. In his last life he wasn't much for books. He graduated above average in school and in Cadet Academy.

But here...damn. No excuse to slack off and be a bratty teenager who loves to have fun.

He's born as family heir and successor to the massive Bugiel Family...fuuuuck...everyone expects a lot from him! And reputation decides your fate, who associates with who, and what you did is immediately judged upon. And when he found out Genesis is a Princess, her family's got a crap-load of intrigue on em'.

Mom poisoned to death? Dad hastily buried her, pissing off Gen AND the Emperor due to Investigation Interference? Family Patriarch kicking her dad and his two wives out for some reason? And Concubine Xue behaved scandalously the ol' geezer got pissed and had her publicly whacked for trespassing and walking out and about practically naked bringing shame to his son! Nobody stopped talking about it. That, and Gen's reputation remained squeaky-clean. In fact, she was praised for being a capable landlord who doubled-and-more her provincial income. A 200 million gold land she turned into 500.

His dad buys stuff from her land because of her land's high-quality goods and he hoped to marry him off to the Princess, encouraging him because he wanted a prudent girl skilled in mercantilism as a daughter-in-law and prove himself as when he mailed his contact in the palace, he asked for what kind of man she would want for a husband. Her wants were sensible enough that got his parents impressed. If he can't find Aerith in this world, fine...

...that's UNTIL he found out Princess is **Genesis**!

Nooooo way! That's one landmine he ain't steppin' on! No, no, no and NO!

xxx

School began.

His first schedule was in Imperial College. This way, he wouldn't be too tired for Academics.

His first class was Mount Archery. He gambled on Military Tactics as he wasn't sure Genesis would take this. Literature and History will put him to sleep and he's likelier to be there and his other class was Military Tactics that he put a risk in while his sole interest which was Mount Archery as due to this magical-but-primitive world, fights might happen while he's on a horse. So they were the only Imperial College courses Zack, errr Luoluo took. The rest of his day was dedicated to Warriorhood. It was why that was first on his schedule.

His parents were baffled.

'Honey, why take Mount Archery? You're a talented child!' his mother wailed unhappily.

'Come on ma, some fights might happen while we're on horses, fights can't always happen on the ground you know!' Luoluo justified.

'You have a point but still...it's only a popular class for people with no ability in the top four professions while still wanting to learn martial skill...I'm just glad you have a good public reputation so people may overlook this.' his father sighed. Luoluo grinned at that. 'No other crazy decisions I hope?'

'Naaaaw, don't worry dad! Just these two since I get everything else at home anyway!'

To the public, he was a known genius in rising to 8-star at a young age, while Genesis was known to 7. Yet the truth was tightly under wraps.

Rising so quick is only possible if you have a huge amount of money. The Bugiels are stinking rich, and Genesis' annual income is half a billion. So their fast rise is reasonable. Genesis who has a huge pride the size of Shinra Tower must have held back too courtesy of his mom.

He put on his Riding Outfit.

His hair was cut to his old style when he was a kid. That way Gen will recognize him on sight.

There's one thing about hair...hair symbolizes social status. Long hair means you're too rich to work like a servant. So while his parents will let him have his way of wearing his hair short as a kid, come 15, he HAS to grow it! Mumble-grumble...!

And then on his first day, his eyes popped out.

Genesis took Mount Archery too!

He grinned.

xxx

Beiyue got out of the changing room with her cousin Princess Yingye.

She was two years older than her but hardly attends school because her mother was overprotective of her. She has talent but Empress didn't want her in East College where potential killings DO happen, even in Magic Classes. At least in the Palace, Yingye was a known expert in polearms and magic combat, tutored at home in safety and a Pharmacy Expert on the medical side. She also loves gardening she florified palace grounds and of course, Royal Parents indulged her. The Palace now has loads of flowery shrubs, vines, and large fruit trees, allowing Servants to pluck fruit for a pick-me-up while on duty, making her popular among servants.

She was also kind, upbeat and cheerful with a playfully-carefree, naive nature. But when she wants something done, she WILL do it but alas, powerful royal parents are the only things to hinder her.

'Wow Beiyue, you a big fan of Shisong Yuan or something?' Yingye asked as her Riding Outfit sembles that of her alter ego's but with very short, fluttery sleeves and slightly longer than her skirt, and a black kimono-style dress with a white obi and red band tied into a ribbon. Her black dress has red wild waves for embroidery and a silk fluttery skirt two inches longer than her black minidress and she wore a pair of black boots.

'Her jacket style is cool!' Beiyue told her. 'I saw her once while supervising delivery of goods and I liked her coat! So I took some bits.'

Yingye sweatdropped.

Her alter ego was famous in the Mercenary Union as a rare female mercenary who's ridiculously strong for a warrior and magic-user known to have a wide blade. Takes high-level quests and sometimes joins military expeditions. Beautiful but...behaves and talks like a man! Even doesn't care about the social status of her company. But only shows up when there's a known expedition, or if a quest has a million gold reward. Anything lower, Shisong Yuan will not show up.

Her brother was fascinated by her. Pffft...even tried to invite her to this year's banquet once, but all his agents couldn't find her so he was sad about that.

xxx

And so...outside...

During this era, many countries all focused on martial arts. Those who had talent all went to the east courtyard of Ling Yang College. Those who have no talents and wanted to learn some skills all picked riding.

All the ten classes, this class held the most popularity!

On the riding field from a distant place, one could groups of aristocratic young masters/ladies could be seen wearing a variety of gorgeous and exquisite horse-riding costumes. The fragrances they wore burst into the air.

This didn't seem to like a riding field, but instead more like an outdoor banquet.

'Yingye...are we really gonna learn something here?' Beiyue sweatdropped. 'It's like a meet-and-greet!'

'Haha, don't worry, it's only like this until teacher comes.' Yingye giggled. 'Don't be too gloomy Beiyue!' she said as when the other young masters and misses saw them, they all bowed.

'Paying respects to princesses!'

'All rise~!' said Yingye in her cheerful manner. 'It's only school you know!'

'We're in school people, only bother with salutations in formal events!' Beiyue called out. 'Otherwise feel free to be yourselves around!' the other students then relaxed. The two princesses were pretty chill, they thought in relief when normally, most nobles and royals DEMAND respect and strict about it!

Luoluo saw Beiyue from afar with a purple-haired girl...in a high ponytail-braid. While Beiyue has a decorative scrunchie, the other girl has a wide pink ribbon.

The gestures...made him hopeful.

He cautiously approached. He can always ask Genesis for a little memory-wipe after incase.

'Aerith?' the two girls looked at him, wide-eyed.

That hairstyle!

Purple-girl smiled.

'Oh! Hello there, pink-haired Zack!' yup, this girl IS Aerith to his delight while Beiyue looked snickering.

'Pffft! Puppy with pink hair!' Beiyue shook in snickers.

'At least I got my gender right!' Luoluo retorted, causing Beiyue to noogie him. 'Owowowow!'

'Oh my Zack, you know who my cousin is in our former lives?' Yingye asked, intrigued as Beiyue let him go.

'Yup, I know him.' Luoluo emphasized the gender. 'In this time I'm Bugiel Luoluo. I knew Beiyue was Genesis because she published Loveless, Genesis' favorite book! So who are you now?'

'She's Princess Huang Yingye now.' said Beiyue. 'I had no idea she was your girl.' she said, remembering what was in Zack's letter. 'She's my older cousin.'

'Wow, what an upgrade.' Luoluo whistled. 'Mystical girl before, princess now.' he said in amazement.

'Oh, you!' Yingye giggled, blushing. 'Oops, teacher's here.' they quickly paid attention as a man came. 'That's our teacher, mister Guo.'

He decided to take this group of freshmen to the east courtyard to see the real masters, hoping it will motivate their fighting spirit.

The students immediately became excited. Each one was energetic and followed Teacher Guo to the east courtyard.

In the eastern courtyard for martial arts, a group of relatively good students came this year. The coach taught them basic skills while the old students watched and guided them. 'Teacher Guo, what brought you here? To see my new group of students ah? They're all incredible!' Teacher Lei laughed and walked over here, his face smug.

Teacher Guo's face became uncomfortable but he still walked over there and smiled: 'Teacher Lei, I didn't expect you to be here today ah?'

'It's good that I'm here. Haha. Coincidentally, the new students came today. Teacher Guo Yuan, are you interested in a competition?'

Competition? A Competition with the martial arts academy?

These aristocratic young masters/misses immediately became timid and they looked at each other. Although they were usually proud, they still were smart enough to know that they can't hold a candle against the Warrior Class, save for Huang Beiyue who was easily the strongest here!

They have no idea their class has two more monsters.

Teacher Guo exclaimed: 'It is not necessary for a competition. You can just give us some tips.'

Teacher Lei was only joking anyway. He knew the levels of these aristocratic young masters/misses save for the two princesses.

Yingye had gone to take her Warrior Assessment in polearms two years ago, and displayed proficiency but her mother Empress found out...so yeah, string-pulling ensued as she dragged her pouting daughter home.

He chuckled and waved his hand over: 'Meng'er, you can come to guide them.'

Surrounded by a group of young geniuses, revering her as their leader, Xue Meng walked out like a proud princess. She was the trueborn daughter of Xue Yang, the Lord of Anguo Gong province. He was a rare man who didn't take Concubines because his only son Xue Che was accomplished, but his pride and arrogance was unmatched.

Teacher Lei Yuan looked around and saw Princesses Yingye and Beiyue who stood behind the crowd. He was taken aback: 'Princesses, you're here too.'

Princess Yingye could be counted as having talent in martial arts too. She was an old student but because of the Empress's worry, she didn't come to the martial arts academy often. Most of the times she spent her day in Imperial College learning poetry and etiquette. Princess Beiyue? Genius Summoner, Warrior and Enchanter and a capable landlord!

They nodded their heads, dignified and grandeur. This is how Princesses should be.


	8. A Talk

A Talk

Teacher Lei nodded his head and turned over to Xue Meng and said: 'Just perform a few tricks for them to look.'

Xue Meng nodded and walked up, revealing her beautiful smile. She paid her respects to the Princesses and performed a couple skills in front of everyone.

She wore a bright green dress, the cuffs danced, and her waist twisted, exposing her beauty to the maximum. The young men who only dared to bow their heads towards the Princesses all looked towards Xue Meng with full attention. They screamed at how fantastic she was. This was like fanboying at some female celebrity.

But for Beiyue and Luoluo who were formerly hardened war veterans, she was all flash along with her technique.

Teacher Lei also touched the short beard on his chin and nodded. No doubt, Xue Meng was one of the students he was proud of.

After she finished performing, Xue Meng raised her hand towards the place she had just performed, asking: 'These few tricks are quite simple. Does anyone want to come out and practice with me?'

Xue Meng's skills had spread throughout Ling Yang College. She and her elder brother were simply the same, both enjoyed to bring down the new students' self-esteem and confidence.

It was rumored that a new female student from this year was really beautiful and had a lot of talent. Xue Meng brought a few people with her and beat the female student until she couldn't stand up. She was taken home on her first day of school.

Many people didn't like the way Xue Meng acted but no one dared to say anything about it because of her background, strength, and beauty.

After all, even the teachers were on her side!

She smiled and walked around the crowd in a circle. Those aristocratic young misses were all afraid that Xue Meng would call on them, they all looking down and avoiding her gaze.

But of course, Luoluo stood up.

'Z-Luoluo?' Yingye quickly corrected herself.

'Awww why not Ying'er? Besides, my afternoon classes is here too!' Luoluo grinned. 'I wanna check this out.' he said, eagerly climbing onstage.

'Well fine.'

'Puppy just wanna show off to his girl.' Beiyue did an eyeroll with an armfold.

'Come on, any guy would wanna show off to their girlfriend!'

'You dare say that in front of my cousin's chaperone?' Beiyue drawled, pointing at herself with her thumb. 'I'll hit you!' Yingye now looked sheepish.

'One of the princesses has a boyfriend?!'

'Which princess?!'

'Sooo nice to meet'cha!' Luoluo did the customary fist-salute before positioning himself.

'...you have a _princess_ for a _girlfriend_? Who on earth are YOU?' Xue Meng sputtered out, bug-eyed. No other noble managed to even get engaged, let alone get close to one of the remaining single Princesses of the Royal House! Princess Xihe, the youngest sibling in the Emperor's generation who guards the boarders, and these two in school are STILL single!

'I'm Bugiel Luoluo!'

A gasp rang in the hall.

Bugiel!

A clan known as noble of all nobles! His status is waaaay higher than that of Xue Meng's!

"Princess Beiyue aside, he's a known genius for rising so quickly to 8-star summoner status!" Teacher Lei gasped.

"And this kid's in my class?!" Teacher Guo was bug-eyed. "Then there's Princess Beiyue!" he has TWO geniuses in his class! He felt somewhat better now but why did they go for some Imperial Classes when most students would rather graduate early?"

'...is there something wrong?' Yingye blinked. 'I don't think Luoluo did anything wrong...' she asked Beiyue worriedly.

'You really should go out more.' Beiyue chuckled. 'The puppy is a young prodigy in Summoning and Magic and he's famous for being an 8-star summoner at age 12 last year. So you got one hell of a boyfriend Yingye. I just hope I find a decent guy myself.' she used to be a man but felt nothing to shallow, squeaky-screaming women back in their world. Considering he's rich by his own merits as Genesis and not because he has a wealthy adoptive-but-cold family, most girls see him as trophy candy he hardly went out the streets unless it's to watch a Loveless play.

So it's Yingye who's out dating! That was news to the young masters and misses. Childe Bugiel has a good pedigree, his family is famous for being noble among nobles and they have a vast amount of resources, connections and experts all over Karta Continent. If they hit it off, the Emperor and Empress will surely not let a catch go!

'A-ahem, are you two ready?' Teacher Lei raised his right arm as the two took fighting stances. Luoluo took on what he knew while Xue Meng took on a form for graceful but speedy fighting. 'Set...go!' and the two lunged at each other and Luoluo was clearly holding back and doing a great job pretending, putting on a good show while still more superior to Xue Meng by a notch. Had he gone all out, he would've killed her in a single punch.

'Princess, I do not recognize Childe Bugiel's form...' Teacher Guo asked the princesses.

'Luoluo calls it his personal style since he's most comfortable with it.' said Beiyue. 'Considering he has yet to begin studying the way of the Warrior, makes sense. Until he learns techniques in East College, he'll go by what he calls 'I'm gonna wing this'-technique.' the two teachers sweatdropped.

'Well...that also works.' Teacher Lei snorted. 'But he isn't bad...he's a bit better than Meng'er.'

'Well, men don't wanna look bad to their girlfriends...'

'Heehee...Luoluo's done cute things to make me laugh.' Yingye chuckled. 'Even being silly around me, he's so sweet.'

'Well, hopefully he'd mature at some point or Zhanye will barbecue him.' Beiyue told her wryly. Yingye choked at that. 'Nothing's scarier than overprotective male relatives towards a female relative...'

'Jeez, we know Luoluo better than they do, they'll come around.' Yingye pouted.

Soon, Luoluo ended the fight by putting Xue Meng in a lock.

'Ohhhhh!'

'The winner is Childe Bugiel!'

'Yeah!' Luoluo did a victory pose. 'How'szat?!'

'Yeah yeah get off me already!' Xue Meng howled from her position on the floor. 'You're heavy!' for now, she'll take this loss with grace. His cultivation is way better than hers. Had it been anyone her level in cultivation, she'll be angry!

xxx

Next class was Military Tactics.

'Awww, Yingye's not in this class?' Luoluo complained to Beiyue.

'Her mother is overprotective.' said Beiyue. 'She managed to sneak-enroll into Mount Archery and Empress didn't find out until it's too late for take-backs.' she snickered. 'The face she made when admission documents reached the palace! At least she was somewhat pacified when the rest of her classes were for housewife material. She tried going into the Warrior Classes once two years ago, but a blabbermouth maid tattled to the Empress for brownie points...so Yingye snuck out and registered for Mount Archery hours later and next thing I know when I visit, I never saw that maid in Yingye's retinue again and reassigned elsewhere.' Beiyue explained. 'However sweet Yingye is, nobody likes tattletales.'

'Wow, didn't know that...'

'Now you do.'

xxx

Lunch Break...

'Phew...finally, just three of us here.' Luoluo sighed as Beiyue sat across the couple.

'I'm interested about that letter you sent me.' said Beiyue. 'What happened before WRO was created?'

'Sephiroth's obsession over Cloud won't stop, since years ago when he went nuts in Nibelheim, Cloud stabbed him with my sword after Sephiroth beat us both, and threw him down the ravines, straight into the Lifestream. That had been ONLY possible when Seph's guard was so down because he was gloating, otherwise my best friend would be bifurcated long ago.' Luoluo shuddered. 'When four years later in the Sephiroth Wars as he had been controlling that JENOVA-freak into shapeshifting as his puppet posing as him, he came back from the Lifestream in the Crater but he was atrophied but still challenged Cloud anyway. By then, Cloud finally overcame Mako Poisoning and Jenova cells messing with his mind and memories, and was able to easily beat him.'

'Two years after that, he manifested three avatars.' Yingye continued. 'All three were parts of himself, to remind the world he existed so he can come back from the dead. They nearly killed the Turks who were taking back Jenova Cells on Rufus' orders for disposal in Outer Space. However, when Sephiroth was killed for real, he had his body infect the Lifestream, and created a disease called Geostigma. When I used Holy from within the Lifestream to push away the Meteor Sephiroth summoned using the Black Materia, I didn't realize what he did.' said Yingye, upset. 'I was told by the Lifestream what Sephiroth has done and its detection was too late...the Lifestream that answered my call was partially infected and when it rose to the surface, it infected people it touched.'

'When someone is infected with Geostigma they contract Jenova's cells, and the immune system works to try to eliminate them. This fails to remove the cells, and the immune system overcompensates fighting an incurable contamination. Those infected with Geostigma experience debilitating weakness as their bodies devote energy to fighting off Jenova's cells, and develop open sores on their body that secrete black ooze. Some sufferers experience hallucinations and seizures.' Yingye continued. 'Because their immune systems are weaker, a great number of children around the world have been infected. The infection is most concentrated in Edge, a town populated by the Midgar survivors that rests on the Midgar ruins' outskirts. Cloud and his adoptive son, and Rufus Shinra were among the infected.'

'Kadaj, one of the Remnants of Sephiroth, lured children afflicted with Geostigma to the Forgotten City with the promises of curing them. He has them drink from a pool of water tainted with Sephiroth's will and negative Lifestream, placing them under his control. The Jenova cells within the children have their 'reunion instinct' awakened, and lead Kadaj and his brothers to Edge to find Jenova.' Luoluo continued. 'After assimilating Jenova's remains into himself, Kadaj became a host body for Sephiroth, who is reborn. Sephiroth said he was using Jenova's will to control those with Geostigma through the Lifestream and that eventually enough infected people would die of the disease allowing him to control the Lifestream and take control of the Planet. He would use the Planet as a vessel to travel the universe and attack another planet, as Jenova herself had done for eons.'

What a dutiful son, Beiyue thought wryly.

'Cloud killed Sephiroth and the other Remnants of Sephiroth are felled as well.' Yingye sighed. 'I was able to gather pure Lifestream to create a Healing Rain to cure the infected. But to those who failed to be cleansed, I created a pool in the slums, where my flower garden used to be, so people can go there to be healed. When we were sure Sephiroth is dead for good, Zack and I passed on. Though I never dreamed I'd wake up here thinking I was all alone.'

'So am I.' said Luoluo. 'That's until I found Beiyue's book so I thought if she's here, that means those who were spared by the Goddess are chucked here...to start over as new selves but our memories and abilities intact, thankfully.'

'He was sane last I saw him...then again, Hojo's responsible for his injections.' Beiyue frowned.

'There's that.' said Luoluo. 'The Seph we used to know, gone.' he said glumly. 'Jenova and whatever-injections sent him off deep. From the books in that basement, he clearly had a shit childhood under Dr. Creepy. Lab Rat and Shinra tool all his life...'

'At any rate, my book will be the calling card.' said Beiyue. 'We'll just have to be patient. And we have another problem.'

'What is it?'

'You two create a story on how you two met in this world. Fast.' Beiyue warned. 'How you met. How you hit it off and started dating. In. This. World. By lunchbreak all students in school will know you two are together. It'll reach Zhanye and Jing in no time flat.' the two choked at that. 'Get planning, lovebirds. I'll keep watch while eating.'

'R-right, so how did we meet? How about two years ago?' Yingye asked sheepishly. 'I'm just glad I sneak out a lot...how about you Luoluo?'

'I have to go out a lot too, to master how the bazaar run by my family works.' said Luoluo. 'We'll do the 'we met at the market' story!'

'Better make that foolproof because while Yingye sneaks out, puppy's family knows when he leaves and when he doesn't...' Beiyue reminded them. 'Ensure there are no inconsistencies!'

'Right!'

xxx

As Beiyue predicted...come carriage Parking Lot...

Zhanye was a man on a mission.

He had heard from some classmates who heard from their younger siblings that Yingye has a boyfriend in the Childe Bugiel, Luoluo! By the gates, there they are, being sweet but thankfully, supervised by Beiyue.

'Yingye. Child Bugiel.' while he was normal around his sister, he gave Luoluo the full-on mean look who grinned back.

"I've faced worse than that face!" Luoluo grinned cheekily. 'Hi there! Gonna barbecue me yet?' Zhanye twitched at how this kid, however friendly, talked to him cheekily and playfully.

'Luoluo!' Yingye sputtered and Beiyue bonking him on the head.

'Sorry Zhanye but little puppy needs more growing...though I approve. I discerned his character.' Beiyue told Zhanye. 'You can kill him if he makes Yingye cry though.' she added flippantly.

'Beiyue I thought you're my backer!' Luoluo wailed with comical tears, childishly waving his arms about.

'I have to be the neutral supervising chaperone, retard.' Beiyue snorted, armfolding. 'I vouch for you but Zhanye has to see you for himself before Royal Uncle sees things our way with our vouching, so impress this guy and prove to him what I saw in you before we seal the deal and protect Yingye from future cheap business deals!' Zhanye narrowed his eyes at that. So far, father turned down ALL attempts to get Yingye engaged, adamant in letting her and Beiyue choose their men for their happiness. But it's a matter of time until politics leave father no choice in an 'or else' situation!

'Ugggh, there's that!' Luoluo's eyebrows shot up. Among the royalty and aristocracy, Engagements are formed not just for family alliances but also, using others or be used.

'Hn. For now I'll keep an eye on you.' said Zhanye. 'I have to see what Beiyue saw in you for my sister.'

'Will do and you ain't barbecuing me any day future brother-in-law!' Luoluo beamed with a smile.

This time, Zhanye bonked him. 'Gah!'

'Brother...' Yingye pouted. 'He needs his brain bits back!'

'...you sure have balls of steel, young master.' Luoluo's manservant choked out. 'Most people can't look Crown Prince in the eye!' the family's gonna have kittens! Since when did young master date Princess Yingye without anyone knowing?!

And that, Genesis Rhapsodos and Aerith Gainsborough thought, Zack Fair has seen scarier.

Sephiroth.

xxx

At home...

By Dinnertime, word spread quickly enough, Luoluo thought as he quickly got the inquisition from his baffled parents that he was secretly dating Princess Yingye and managed to hide it for so long! At the palace, Zhanye and Jing told their parents about an interesting situation.

'Yingye, you've been seeing this boy for how long?' suuuure the Emperor was smiling, but he was twitching! Everyone in the dining room was nervous, as if they're watching a live show for a public execution. It was THAT kind of atmosphere in the dining hall.

'For two years now father!' Yingye smiled in her usual sweet smile, unfazed with the atmosphere. 'He didn't know I was a princess at first and he knows me as just 'Ying' and I dressed like a common girl back then. We royals never make public appearances so he never knew and treated me like a normal person. A normal girl. It was refreshing I could be myself around him.' she said wistfully. 'He's so bright like sunlight with his perpetual cheery carefree personality...and then I never realized Beiyue knew I had a friend that soon became boyfriend. She supervises flow of Qinghe goods and saw us both hanging out while dealing with merchants, so she stalked and discerned his nature...then dropped the rock on me in school today that she knew and approves.'

'I still would like to meet this boy at least once.' said the Emperor.

'OK father! This comes with a warning that he's so carefree that he doesn't care about social status and treats people normally.' said Yingye. 'He even told big brother happily that he'll never get to barbecue him any day!'

'That _remains_ to be seen.' said Zhanye wryly. 'Beiyue gave me the freedom to fry him if he hurts you since she'll be chaperoning you two.'

'Ohhh I bet you ten million on that!' Yingye laughed.

xxx

'I knew you'd be visiting.' said Beiyue as Zhanye visited her house, right after a social family gathering in which while Fang still lives in the Xiao Estate until remarrying, she's not invited as she was a divorcee thus no longer a Xiao.

'I'll ask how you'll fare with the new Xiao Head Family, but Yingye comes first.' said Zhanye with a twitch. 'What do you know of Bugiel Luoluo?'

'Being the son of a family that annually earns a couple billion gold, you can say that he's got everything...but at the same time because he was a rare genius, his parents stuffed him in a gilded cage until he mastered Summoning and Magic as well as various Survival Training, and Mercantilism need-to-knows. He was _that_ precious for an heir to a huge organization and a rare capable heir, a house will be extremely lucky to have.' Zhanye nodded. 'Thanks to a life of study and training to prepare him as next family head, Luoluo was never exposed to society ills. Prejudice. Bigotry. Looking down on others because of those, things we deal with in social parties for irritants. A rare noble who's a pure-hearted, carefree puppy.' she chuckled fondly.

'He is sociable with a positive attitude and easily befriends almost everyone from the lowest-ranked servant to even intimidating mercenaries who just can't hate him. Because they can see that as he talks, he has no aura of one with ulterior motives though he has bouts of childishness as he never had a friend due to his very sheltered life...at least Yingye has me for a friend growing up, him a zero so he never had an example on how young boys his age should behave, act and talk, and does things his way. He never realized his ahem, friend, is a princess all the way until he saw her in class, saluted by the other masters and misses. Poor dope was shocked before carefully-approaching.' said Beiyue with a snort. 'When I stalked him in those months, I was shocked such a person from aristocracy existed.' she paused to sip her tea.

'I thought it'd rain frogs anyday but Yingye lucked out big time.' she said seriously with a glare. 'Draft that marriage arrangement. NOW before politics gets funny ideas. I know nobody will DARE cross the Bugiel Clan or Nanyi will suffer trading issues as everyone and their ancestor does business with them including myself, but all the same, for safety.'

'What of Luoluo's parents? Have you discerned their character?'

'Bugiel Saisi wants a prudent girl with a great sense of mercantilism considering they run Nanyi's Trading Operations. He doesn't want a useless woman as he wants a woman who can support and ease his successor's burdens as their job is a royal pain in the rear-end. Bugiel Lanlan his wife wants a strong woman for her son. A girl strong in character and spirit, and naturally...not use her son as their wallet.' she snorted. 'Lanlan herself has great business-savvy.'

'Yingye fits the woman's wants, and Yingye can learn Mercantilism at home. I cannot teach Yingye that because of being a Landlord, my knowledge is too specialized, limited to only Qinghe Province when the world of mercantilism is as vast as the sky.' she said, lacing her fingers together. 'This specialism is the flaw of many Landlords. The Bugiels deal all over the continent so they know many, many things. Including foreign manners. Stuff normally OK here, will earn you anger elsewhere sort-of deal.'

'Mm...' Zhanye began thinking. 'I'll think this through with father. You really endorse him for Yingye?'

'Of course. Hurry now before someone else bags him for their daughter for obvious reasons. Puppy's swimming in money more than your father does, what ambitious, materialistic noblegirl wouldn't want that?'

'Alright, fine.' Zhanye sighed. 'But what about you?'

'Well, I prefer one on the mature side, not a puppy though his personality and moral compass very-much passes by a large margin.' Beiyue snorted. 'I want a man who I feel safe with and older than me at least. No more than 20 years old. I'll make exceptions anyhow based on circumstances.'

'Mm...very well. I'll take this up with father.' Zhanye noted. 'Now, about the new Xiao Clan here...I hope what Xiao Qiyuan told father matches.'

Or there will be hell to pay for was unsaid.

Beiyue then began talking.

xxx

Royal Palace, around 9:45 pm...

Zhanye got back home, and walked into his father's office.

'Welcome back.' said the Emperor. 'How are things?'

'Positive. Beiyue discerned the family character and personality, and endorses an arrangement between Luoluo and Yingye.' said Zhanye. 'On our end...access to immeasurable resources and connection as well as information continental-wide and war just ended recently.' he said. 'As Beiyue puts it, Yingye got incredibly lucky, but needs Mercantilism Lessons and how real world works.' he said. 'If the Bugiels are OK with their son being with Yingye, Yingye must learn to seal the deal. For now, we can draft an arrangement.'

'Very well. I'll send a missive before breakfast tomorrow.' said the Emperor. 'What of the new clan head?'

'Beiyue is on a wait-and-see basis as she studies them on the sly.' said Zhanye. 'She also keeps track on what her sire and his women are doing...and ahem, going all sadist on Concubine Xue.'

'Concubine Xue?'

'Yes...she was an asset to Royal Aunt's death.' Zhanye braced himself for his father's murderous aura that got him and the manservants spooked. 'She was ordered by someone higher-up to poison Royal Aunt.' he continued speaking as calmly as he could while shivering at his father's rage. 'Her former maids said Royal Aunt calmly accepted her death, or Linhuai will pay the price. That was all the maids knew from her. She will know who, how and why as soon as she gets around the mental protection around Xue's memories to get access to the culprit so for now she's keeping Xue alive.'

He also cast a security spell on present manservants.

'I...see...what is Beiyue doing now?'

'Setting Xue up for more and more misfortune, so she gets more and more irrational to the point of becoming reckless and crazy. Then plummet into delusionality with her ambitions.' said Zhanye. 'Xue was Royal Aunt's personal maid whom her retinue told Beiyue was an opportunistic snake, beginning in year one of Royal Aunt's marriage to Xiao Yuancheng alone. Use and betray anyone in her way to social climb to the top, even her own children didn't give her a conscience as she callously discarded her son Zhonglei for not having Summoner talent when he turned **five** while spoiling his older sister while emotionally-dependent on her and raised to be as evil as she was. She was crafty and cunning and mentally strong that feeds the enchantment in her memories, but the misfortunes is making her more irrational in Beiyue's favor. Once she goes crazy...she will plunge in and tear her mind apart if she had to.'

'Very well. As much as I want to deal with them just by myself, surely Beiyue's amenable to sharing.' the emperor grinned darkly, all teeth. Bent for murder.

'She may very well be...she knows how much father loves her mother since she was a little girl.' said Zhanye softly. 'So father in her eyes is innocent. Can't say the same for my mother and royal grandmothers, influential concubines, etc.'

'Mm. I'll wait for good news from her. Until then, let's all act normally.'


	9. Movement

Movement

The servants in the Xiao Estate are all new.

Xiao Gangjian made it clear to Xiao Qiyuan and Huang Beiyue that he wanted to replace ALL Servants. Because their ill performance as of late irks him.

Qiyuan said he would take some before Gangjian fires everybody else. Gangjian agreed.

However, using a paper butterfly, Qiyuan had the unknowingly-fired older servants, including Butler Zhou with him...and had them all killed using an ambush attack by his subordinates.

Why'd he have them all killed, she wondered...

While Qiyuan was busy with the clean-up, she made a beeline for Butler Zhou's room, taking all papers and books she could that had nothing to do with running clan affairs, and sorted them out in her room.

It would take time. But for now, she got out in time as Grandfather ordered all they owned be taken and burned. No checks at all.

What was he hiding...?

Gangjian hired servants outside Linhuai City, hiring servants from the Xiao Family Province. All were mostly men and very few women. Most likely attendants for his wives and daughters who have five each! The rest of the men have various duties and responsibilities for security. Thus the banished are not allowed with the Xiao Estate unless Qiyuan says otherwise.

They know the faces of the banished, along with the reason why. Strong emphasis on not allowing Concubine Xue and Xiao Yun in no matter what happens or be flogged into cripplehood. Do their jobs well, particularly security, all will be well with a salary of 90 copper.

Xiao Yun who walked around town in disguise heard some news here and there.

'-my daughter is crying because she got laid off by the new Xiao Master!'

'New Xiao Master?'

'Yes! Xiao Yuancheng is no longer Xiao Family Master, succeeded by his older brother Gangjian who was way too strict and severe with high standards...she said all young servants are laid off while adults were taken by Senior Master for new duties.'

"That means our former servants are replaced." Xiao Yun thought, remembering the servants who served her and her mother who have begun being cold to them this year.

However, while she went home to tell her family the news, she missed the fact that gossip came out too...with how unfair things were in the household.

That led to them being fired eventually.

But most people agreed that Huang Beiyue treated her maids TOO well...

Education?

Better food to eat? (Servants typically eat a BORING diet allowed to them and home cooking was **way** better even in poor families)

Training?

Got beautiful skin and hair?

Got more lucrative side-careers than their maid salary of _1 silver and she **lets them**_?

Well-respected in Linhuai for their statuses as Martial Artists?

And she only employed **five girls** cleaning her **mansion**. Most likely because she was letting them cultivate to full potential before taking on new hires?

Nobody could believe such a surreal thing, but from the resentful laid-offs, it's true. Although their families scolded them for losing their lucrative jobs.

In poor families, everyone works to get by. Iron coins are useful for many cheap things. 1000 iron = 1 copper...and 1 copper is about the price of the cheapest meat cuts alone, and just 1kg of rice _to eat in a single meal_. And a servant working for a noble household gets 10 copper for the salary a month!

Commoners thus would rather deal with boiled wheat/millet in place of rice. Chewy with this uncomfortably-earthy, nutty flavor but it fills stomachs, and they mostly eat things nobody wants, but what matters is a full stomach!

But even then they long for the tasty things nobles eat. Rice may be tasteless, but it's famous for going well with ANYTHING that as long as they have soup or other meals, it 'gains taste' they could eat lots of it!

A bitter maid once said that when she took a peek in the kitchens of Princess Beiyue's estate BEFORE Xiannuo got her Spirit Beast guarding the estate, the maids cooked a lot of rice despite only having one noble master...and to her chagrin, it's because they get to eat some, as well as delicious vegetables and meat! And everything they cook is so fragrant smelling it alone will make stomachs grumble!

So now many mothers are hopeful but the guards at the front outside the Xiao Estate would say, 'Princess will only hire five every few years and even then it will only be girls she chooses.'

And they have no idea how she chooses her maids at that. Just that Beiyue would walk around the city and choose anybody starting at eight years old without warning.

'So it's a luck of the draw!'

xxx

Zhonglei was beaming in utter amusement while training his manservant in sparring.

'You seem happy today, master.' Ping was privileged to get training as well, to protect Zhonglei's house when he's not around, and his salary was also 1 silver like the maids in Beiyue's house. He could also take quests since unlike Zhonglei, he supports a family at home. However, he refuses to take more servants and didn't allow Ping to get along with the other Xiao Servants though he can socialize with Beiyue's maids on their downtime.

He was convinced all those brown-nosing all those years had ulterior motives beneath, he could not trust such people. Then Uncle Gangjian laid them all off and hired new hires!

'Things are getting interesting.' Zhonglei chuckled. 'If sister acts more, we'll be sure to get front-row seats.'

He gets news from his younger sister on what happens to his family lately...

xxx

In town...

What Zhonglei found out was that word about servant treatment in the estate spread.

He can guess that Beiyue bragged about her maids on purpose to stir up dissent among the servants, considering Qin and her kids are rude to their inferiors, and his mother was condescending while putting on a nice face but any idiot can sense if they're being talked to condescendingly.

And now that they live in town, banished with no servant?

They tried to hire a servant once, but nobody dare to accept a job from them.

Using a hair-growing pill, he grew his hair long just for the sake of re-styling to be unrecognized in the streets. As usual, Beiyue cut his hair for him into an amazing layered mullet while leaving enough for a long ponytail.

He wore different clothes too, to pass off as different and not a Xiao. He dressed up as a typical rough mercenary to get news around!

Due to his contempt and bitterness at his treatment, he developed specifically-aimed sadism.

Xue killed his beloved mother and threw him away in favor of Yun.

Joke's on her now.

Sullied reputation, Yun can never best him as she can never reach 3-stars without spending an unholy amount of money father didn't have now. Due to her lack of natural ability thanks to her parents, it's costlier than normal to help her cultivate!

Beiyue estimated that for her to reach 9-star as a Summoner with pills, nevermind managing to snag a powerful beast that boosts her cultivation, it would cost a staggering 4.5 billion gold. Money only the Bugiel Clan can have. Not even families of the Wang rank can have THAT kind of money and that's because they're not savvy enough to exploit the land they were bestowed by the royalty as she had done! The richest Wang was Xiaoyao Songmi being a Chief Pharmacist so he was an exception but a normal Wang earns 160 million gold a year. Gongs like Lord Anguo Gong earns 130-150 depending on royal favor gained. Marquis earns 130. Viscounts earn 120. Barons earn 100.

What idiot will spend 4.5 billion for Xiao Yun, unless someone tames a Spirit Beast for her and lets her have it? No idiot will do that for her either!

She believed that Zhonglei agreed to, that thankfully Xue didn't know about the Bugiel Clan and it's scion two years younger than Yun. As far as Xue was concerned with her thankfully-limited knowledge, she social climbs her way up using Yun to get richer and richer, but with her tainted reputation, in turn tainting Yun's as well, because 'children follow by example'. If a mother did shameful actions, her children are sure to follow. In short, they're stuck with a mere 2 million compared to the 50 million they used to access.

Xue trespasses into the homes of others and walks out naked? Why Yun might do it too! At least his reputation wasn't marred. It's normal for men to be topless sometimes but certainly NOT bottomless, and nobody knows he's the son of Xiao Yuancheng as he hardly went out. Unless the ex-servants point at him that is...and even then, he was a known victim of neglect and cruel disregard. Unlike his family, he was a nicely-polite, but a sad person. He was a fruit that fell far from its tree. His reputation in public was good thanks to the laid-off servants.

Yun who once enjoyed a life of luxury and praises can never go beyond her mere low status ever again! And he was the one living a happy life now, take that! Sure his earnings from quests are meager but he always takes every day since he distanced himself. 2 million a year? Hah! Try ten million in a WEEK! In a year, how much is that, huh?

xxx

It wasn't long that the Emperor summoned the Bugiels for a royal dinner in the palace. Naturally, Beiyue had to come too since except for Princess Xihe who cannot leave her post, all must be present.

And so...

When the Bugiels came for the talk BEFORE the dinner, Luoluo seeing Yingye as a princess...

His ghost left his body.

'Yingye, it has yet to sink into the puppy's head that you're a princess.' said Beiyue wryly doing an arm fold. 'Put his ghost back in, will you?' Yingye was too busy laughing to even act on it. 'I think you did too good a job pretending to be a commoner his reality crashed.'

'Teehee! I'm a skilled actress!' Yingye giggled, trying hard to get sober. 'Oh Luo'er, wake up honey~' and to the shock of everyone present, she gave him a VERY adult kiss! If Beiyue had a camera, she'd immortalize all their reactions.

'Y-Yingye!' the Empress looked faint.

'H-haaaa...' the Emperor squeaked, wide-eyed. His sons were just as stunned. The servants gaped and this was tonight's hot gossip.

'Wow, Ying'er!' Luoluo squeaked, blushing. 'I know we kiss on our own but in front of our folks?'

'Actions speak louder right?'

'It does!' Luoluo said sheepishly. 'I'd do more but your dad looks ready to kill me!' he laughed jovially as the Emperor looked red and his parents were nervous!

'Royal Uncle, tonight is the night of lovebirds.' Beiyue smiled sweetly at her uncle. 'Give the puppy a chance before you skin him alive.' if it's her, the Emperor was putty.

'A-alright, but this better be good!'

The Bugiel parents relaxed. If not for Huang Beiyue, who knows what their son could have gotten into!

Now, time for one hell of a negotiation...and true to Beiyue's claims, Luoluo disregarded social status and formalities, but he still respects and very polite in his way but he's way, waaaay too cheerful about being on the chopping block...!

But he also unwittingly passes Zhanye's judgment while all Emperor cares about was Yingye's happiness but!

They knew that they've been dating but it feels strangely...

...longer than that.

'Phew, no bloodshed tonight.' Beiyue worked as a go-between between two groups until the marriage arrangement is sealed. That Bugiel Luoluo and Huang Yingye are officially off the market.

Servants make nice gossipers.

'What do you mean bloodshed?' Third Prince asked wryly.

'Puppy is too much a puppy. He would rather respect us as ourselves which is a good thing - as people and could care less about status, given his gilded upbringing. At least we royals went out a lot! But for most holier-than-thou aristocrats, they'll call him out on it, taking pride in whatever their social rank is.'

'Well, they're like that, aren't they?'

xxx

And so...

Next day...

It was the talk of the town that market morning because last night, palace servants sent letters home to their parents. Naturally...tongues wagged and servants of households buying food naturally told their masters.

Thus by school...

People gave congratulations to the new pair who looked sheepish.

'Well, that's one successful deal last night.' Beiyue sighed to Zhonglei. 'I was there to make sure royal uncle doesn't gut him alive because he's way too overprotective.'

'Good work, sister.' Zhonglei chuckled. 'How about you?'

'Nah, nobody's passed my standards yet. That remains to be seen anyhow. The school year's just started so let's wait and see, and you go hunting too before flowers run out and all that's left are weeds.' said Beiyue, her last words spoken in a drawled-out derisiveness.

'Right right...' Zhonglei snorted. 'About our cousins...'

'Just as single...apparently, since the scandal our idiot family caused, their arrangements got withdrawn in fear simply being related to them would bring the Emperor's wrath on them. Uncle wasn't happy.' Beiyue told him. 'Uncle Gangjian and Yixiang were livid.'

'That'll mean it'll be hard for me to get a wife...' Zhonglei said gloomily.

'It doesn't have to be a noblewoman you know. You could have your pick as there's no pressure on you to marry a noble, unlike Zhongqi.'

'I-I guess you're right...'

Zhongqi, being Childe, was trueborn by default even if his mother's a concubine. To strengthen family power, he must marry well.

He forgot he had no such pressure on him, he's such a dope.

Now, time for class...thanks to his exams, he'll graduate in three years!

xxx

Things are going well for now. First lessons were caring for one's horse BEFORE one can think about riding, let alone Mount Archery!

Horses respect those who care for them well, and riders are rewarded with good performance and behavior, being tame for their riders.

Students into this class are required to bring their own horses as well as responsible for their training and health.

Horse Care, how to train a Warhorse, was that year's first order of business.

Beiyue owned a chestnut-coated horse to match her red and black outfit while Yingye owns a white horse. Luoluo chose a black horse.

For Beiyue, her mother thankfully taught her Archery. Warriorhood ain't just limited to swords and polearms!

Then there's that Feat Contest leading to a fun event...schools have Field Trips, no?

xxx

'So it's like that.' said Lianyi, sipping tea while having lunch with Beiyue. 'Yingye has protection now. Yet you haven't secured your part.'

'I know. Just that between work, training and school in order of priority, I have no time to socialize.' said Beiyue with a sigh. 'I teach Zhonglei but I have yet to follow most of what I teach him. I'm way too occupied.'

'That's the hard truth with you.' Lianyi shook his head in sympathy for her.

Princess Royal's untimely death made her work at a young age. No time to socialize and more. It was a miracle she still had time for him even!

The princess was exhausted and stressed, he can see that.

'Beiyue, for a month straight, no training.' he said. 'Rest when you can or better yet, sleep after work. You're very exhausted, both physical and mental. It's not good for you. You're a seven-star anyway at age **12**, you can use a well-deserved break even if at least, _for half a year_.'

'Mm...I'll try.'

'Not try. Do. It.' said Lianyi sternly. 'You get on _my_ case about my health, payback time!'

Beiyue can only chuckle.

She did just that though. She feels awful lately.

And on the first day of THINKING to rest...it's like, her adrenaline is all gone. Her body crashed on her in the worst way possible. "Fuck!"

This.

Sucks.

She thus relied on her maids to get news for her.

xxx

Dongling was responsible for Household Affairs as well as getting news within Linhuai. The girls' jobs were various places in Qinghe assigned to them.

With most happenings happening in Linhuai City, she was the busiest even though she's on her home field.

Her miss has taken to falling ill due to overwork due to her incredible diligence that led to a 200 million gold county becoming half a billion's worth. So Dongling mailed the Emperor that Beiyue will take a month off school to recover on Prince Lianyi's advice and she must recover naturally through rest, sleep and eating well or using pills will make her body overwork more to make the pills work.

The Emperor wasn't happy that Beiyue fell ill and he couldn't even do a thing because she has to rest naturally and Yingye got her schoolwork she would have missed and can catch up on later.

As for Dongling...

Get the news she did.

Market Happenings.

City Happenings.

On Yuancheng's family.

And families of the aristocracy and their branch families.

'Mm...the other families haven't been making good progress huh?' Beiyue mused as she looked at all the papers Dongling brought her on the second week of her vacation. 'It's so laughable that the only latest thing to happen is Third Prince and Ping Hongling getting engaged.'

'Ping...isn't Qin's older sister Duchess Ping?' Dongling piped up, knowing the background of who associates with the Xiaos.

'Yes. She holds herself as a noble and virtuous woman, a model lady who holds herself with dignity and elegance, setting a good example for future young wives...can't say the same for Qin.' Beiyue snorted. 'Ping Hongling is her only daughter. Considering how cousin Hongling is raised, she's the apple of Counselor-in-Chief's eye. Third Prince can't stop bragging on how he got a good catch, annoying First Prince who's also engaged to Lin Wanyi, daughter of Minister Lin.'

'Ooh...'

Then one day, they got a letter asking for advice.

'...they can't be serious...?' Beiyue snorted as she looked at her letter.

She gets a letter asking for advice regarding Summons because there's no decent beast good enough for the arrogant, snobby Xue Family in Misty Forest and Floating Forest is pretty dangerous even if the good ones are there. For a 12th-rank Flame Dragon, hers was unusually powerful they wanted to know where she got it by chance of finding a good Thunder beast.

'There's a limit to how arrogant you can be while wanting an easy way out.' Dongling sweatdropped.

'They want good breed they're gonna work for it!' Beiyue cackled. 'Get me my writing set and a large paper.'

xxx

The Xues never thought they'll get a large paper...that's actually a map.

At the center of the map, complete with safe roads and where rivers are, was Linhuai City. Around it was Misty Forest...next to it Floating Forest...and third which was the biggest, Hollow Light Forest...along with danger level indicators, distances here and there and where Thunder Beasts are usually found. Nothing about other elements and rankings. Well, they DID ask for Thunder Beasts ONLY...exact words on her

There was a footnote:

_Nothing's ever easy in life. If you want something, work for it._  
_ They're rare, Thunder Beasts...not to mention ones in Hollow_  
_ Forest where I and my maids got our summons from, have _  
_high pride and got great fighting skills. To gain their respect, you_  
_ have to beat them yourself. If you teamed up to beat it, it will _  
_try to kill you at the last minute. Oh yes, have a companion with_  
_a flying beast...or get lost for an eternity before you become food._

_\- Huang Beiyue_

And so the Xues took action on the hunt. Xue Yang summoned subordinates with flying beasts to escort his son, equipping them with travel needs needed to survive a quest for Thunder Beasts due to danger levels indicated, based on star-ranking.

"Princess Beiyue has that dragon when Princess Royal was still alive." Xue Yang thought, stroking his double-chin with his chubby fingers. Her dragon was obtained at a young age and it was quite a terrifying sight. It was mean-looking and dangerous, a show of power.

During a party once about two years ago, young summoners were asked to show off their Summons. Hers was by far, the cruelest-looking. Pure black, with blood-red underside of wings, silver carapace with spikes ending in a deadly sharp tail with a very intimidating presence. A frightening creature she even had her head maid join in on the fun, being a Summoner too! Both powerful species, meaning, their cultivation levels increased exponentially! The beasts were both Rank 12 owned by little girls who had great reputations as powerful magic users!

It was baffling.

But now, it's Che's turn! Hopefully he scores a big one without getting killed, he's his only heir!


	10. The Unattainable

A:N- took me a while to post...Windows 10 crashed on me. Youtube Windows 10 Automatic Repair srttrail. txt error. NOTHING I DID WORKED so I looked for a techie to reformat my PC

* * *

The Unattainable

It was a couple days after Beiyue took time off school due to severe work stress, her usual pony-braided hair worn loose. She cast a Float spell on all her hair so it's weightless and not stress her neck. She also ensured they won't tangle in every movement she made.

She wore a bright red dress with pink accessories and headed out to court to introduce a new product of hers.

People would know she's here since she only ever wore red and nothing else since she took interest as a child, which she mixes with purple, white, yellow, orange and black. The one time she wore white, was for her mother's funeral.

Being the youngest-known landlord being Princess Qinghe, she worked at an early age with genius ability in Prosperity. Many parents wanted her for their son's bride, and also to have the power to help their own county prosper with her abilities, thus increasing their annual income. But her character standards are high and an accurate character judge. The second genius the Royal Family produced after the late Princess Royal, and Prince Zhanye.

If Zhanye was the youngest, most powerful cultivator at just age 20 this year just for being bound to one of the Wuling, the Purple-Fire Kirin so his cultivation got a great boost, Beiyue is swimming in money because of her incredible abilities in business. Despite her time off, she is NEVER absent in Court.

'What, all I did is lie in comfort while reading, that's still resting.' she would say.

She also created a new product recently released in the form of a 'canned good' good for wartime rations the day before she returned to school.

It was a pink flesh loaf of something...it's apparently, finely-ground pork mixed with finely-ground spices and herb extracts for flavoring as well as medicinal value, stuffed into cans with preservative formula and chucked into boiling hot water to cook the meatloaf inside so it doesn't expire. If stored properly, it has a very long shelf life. A few years long. Once taken out of the can and washed the preservative formula off that jellied during cooking and storage, it can be eaten as is or sliced, then fried in oil.

It costs just 1 silver a can, but if sliced right can feed a family of six in a single meal with just a bowl of rice. The court all had samples and damn, for wartime rations, it's deliciously-flavorful that they say one small bite can make rice taste so heavenly. Two slices to a bowl of rice is a sheer luxury for something worth a mere silver! Once the loaf's all gone, the cans can then be washed and reused to send to Qinghe for a refill, pay included. Just be careful of sharp edges during rewashing or be cut!

It's called Qinghe Zhanrou. Only to be produced and sold if the country declares wartime because to make about a crate's worth, she needs a whole adult pig. If in demand as a daily consumable product, why, pigs will be extinct in a decade because it tastes way too good!

Everyone agreed on that matter awkwardly.

But because there ARE some conflicts, she was told to produce enough for a storehouse in case of expedition necessities, and send some rations to Princess Xihe's army in western borders near Dongli, enough to last them a month and she has about 500.000 men in her army.

31 cans per person! 15 million and 500.000 cans then. And 1 silver a can...ten silver to a gold coin...and there's 120 cans in a crate...do the math there. Huge profit in gold.

And she's tasked to fill up a storehouse on top of that.

Yeah, Emperor will pay her big.

Her business skills are what made her rich instead of waiting for annual taxes to fall on her lap.

She was known as the Queen of Business.

In bi-annual meetings, her results were always astonishing.

They sent informants to Qinghe to learn her secrets, but nobody talks. And nobody trusts outsiders.

And every town has huge schools that were well-defended with sorcery each. They can't get in. Only students and employees can! There was no way of getting in as unauthorized people get fatally-shocked with thunder-based sorcery.

There are also many places that opened up. Specialty Schools for those who cannot do martial arts but can still be productive members of society by specializing in the production of products. Education and training are free.

There's even Potions Shops and Equipment Shops in fancy glass bottles!

The culture of Qinghe was different and rich. There were no poor in the streets! Not even a hovel of a peasant in sight and no slums.

There were also planted trees and shrubs everywhere.

Farmers were very motivated workers...if their salary is 1 silver! A normal farmer's salary was 2 copper a month! Could paying farmers well be the secret?

It seems to be a normal province so how?

But at any rate...she's a hard catch.

She was barred from any engagement as she herself will choose her future husband on her own wish or she will kill anyone who dared to put her in a 'business deal', even if it meant her own family. Well, if anyone among royalty started it, the only one who can stop her is Prince Zhanye her cousin as the much-stronger teachers are a distance away from the city, while nobody among the Xiaos can.

xxx

During that time...

'Princess, you have an invitation.' said Dongling, handing Beiyue a golden plated invitation.

'Sigh, never did understand why invitations must be gold-plated...what a waste of gold.' Beiyue sighed as she was relaxing in a warmed-up bathtub. 'Let's see...an invitation to Princess Meng Hongling's birthday and to celebrate becoming Third Prince's Consort. Dongling, find out if Yuancheng's daughters are invited, and have Meng'er spy on Gangjian's daughters to see if they're invited too.'

'Yes miss.' and Dongling ran out...and the maids came back, saying they weren't invited once spying was done.

Qin's disgraced, so given Prime Minister's pride, why invite the disgraced? So Yuancheng's group acted as if it's just a normal day. As for Gangjian's side, they have no connection whatsoever, why invite them?

And so, Beiyue had to attend and considering the celebrant, she has to get a gift somehow. So she spied on the estate, poring into the girl's mind on what she would want, considering she's engaged to her cousin. Well, he also pored into her upbringing to see if she needs damage control on behalf of her cousin.

None.

How different Duchess Pingbei was to her sister Qin indeed! A rare noble in more than just status!

Well, Hongling wanted cultivation pills her father couldn't afford for her, nevermind her grandfather...Duke Ping her father spends to much on grandeur than cultivating when in this world you cannot afford to be weak. She managed to be a 5-star master last year but this year he'll spend on 'family importance'!

xxx

The Palace...

'Hello there Yue'er, it's been days due to your...vacation.' Xiaoyao greeted the Princess pleasantly who mailed him asking if she can come and he quickly said yes. So here she is now, wearing bright red-orange clothes with yellow embroidery with black inner garments and black trousers. Her shoes on her small feet, were dark red. Sure, puffy trousers are common for most women, but she takes puffy to a whole new level, going wider the closer it gets to her ankles. Cute for young girls, not for women. Her sense of fashion is also unusual, but attractive, inspiring quite a trend. But on formal events, she wears skirts.

Her usual hairstyle wasn't there, instead wearing her hair down with pomegranate flower hairpins by her ear. She is so beautiful!

Due to high stress levels, Lianyi forced Beiyue into accepting she needed a vacation because she works too hard! Beiyue reluctantly agreed.

'Well yes...and I'm invited to a birthday party at that simply because I'm distantly-related through Concubine Qin, but a high-profile person. Counselor-in-Chief has a high repute, but thinking he can invite me? Normally I wouldn't come but third prince would lose face if I didn't show. But if I DID show up, that old man will grow a big head. I cannot choose.' Beiyue sighed. 'I'm well enough for that, do you currently have resources for a pill that enables to break through the 6th level?'

'Humm, I always do since I get asked for it all the time but of course, it's not cheap.' Xiaoyao smiled, holding up his lam card and Beiyue chuckled, taking out hers before tapping their cards together for payment to be made. 'But what an extravagant gift.' he chuckled. 'Then again...'

'Well, we VIPS must have resources that tops everyone else. That's expected of us or tongues will wag.' Beiyue snorted, armfolding. 'Politics...such a _bother_.' she sighed in a long-suffering voice.

'Indeed so. Even I dabble in politics because I'm very picky with customers.' Xiaoyao smiled. 'I'll make the pill tonight, so why not spend time with me?'

'It beats marinading myself in the tub to relax.' offering her his arm, the two walked away together. She didn't mind being with the guy since he was pleasant, AND intellectual company.

'Oh yes Yue'er, how is the progress of your students?' Xiaoyao asked her.

'Mm. Good enough to achieve Gold Status but I want their cultivation to go beyond that.' said Beiyue. 'Regardless of whether or not they have Summoning Talents. I will test them for Summoning Potential come graduation to prevent status quo from causing discord among my students. Those who are summoners will begin Summoning Course in Lingyang College.' she said. 'It's been three years since I had schools built all over Qinghe and Miyang. And my standards were 7 years' school term with no school vacations unlike Lingyang College in order for them to catch up. Then upon graduating, they will become apart of the militia of two provinces incase war happens again.'

'What brought on this huge project?' he asked. 'You've kept quiet for so long now.'

'Mother was forced to sacrifice herself as only I told you and Lian'er. I got this truth from Aunt Tianyu.' said Beiyue. 'Sacrifice herself so Linhuai is saved. From what and whom, unknown. She drank poison gleefully given by that wench, Xue.' she said darkly. 'I'm not getting any closer but I also know I'm next, considering I ruffled feathers simply by being richer than them.' she snorted. 'The only people who out-riched me now are Royal Uncle, the Bugiel Clan and you. However as of now I'm untouchable but any moment of weakness in court on uncle's part, _I most definitely am next_.' Xiaoyao looked at her darkly for that.

'I will not let that happen if I can help it, Yue'er.' Xiaoyao promised her. 'I never forgave myself for Huiwen. I can't lose you too.' he swore, taking her small hands into his. He had unwittingly made the poison that took Huiwen's life, because he was told it was to execute a war criminal...he and Huiwen were betrayed that day.

'Legend shall speak of sacrifice at world's end. My soul, corrupted by vengeance hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey. All that awaits you is a somber morrow no matter where the winds may blow.'

'You have foreseen such a conclusion.'

'The truth can be ugly, Yao'er. But I will accept it all.' Beiyue swore to him. 'I will fight this battle alone so that the true culprits will lower their guard until I strike like a viper.'

xxx

At the birthday party, it was like a size contest of whose dick is bigger by those presents, Beiyue thought in amusement as she brought with her a Plus-One, Zhonglei and Xiuli as everyone can bring only one servant. In formal parties, Beiyue takes turns taking her maids to be fair to others. She can't always take Dongling!

Sure her box is smaller but by far Beiyue er, has the biggest present despite the tiny box it was in.

'T-this is!' Hongling squawked as she, her direct relatives and Third Prince squawked.

'Happy Ascension too, Princess Hongling.' Beiyue smiled as Hongling looked ready to cry because what she got was extremely valuable.

'Thank you so much!' Hongling exclaimed as she immediately consumed the gift in order to break through.

'Princess Beiyue just gifted Princess Hongling a cultivation pill!'

'Isn't she a five-star master lately?'

'With that pill she'll go breakthrough to sixth stage!'

'Again, you caused a ruckus, cousin.' Third Prince said wryly as the pill took effect immediately, enabling Hongling access to 6-star junior.

Well, this is also politics as if Duke Ping hears of this, she'll get word from the man...

But she also has a motive.

Fathers of bigshot kids are here, and she has Yingye's help in eavesdropping with her powers as due to being who she is, Beiyue cannot snoop around herself. She has to socialize.

It was an exhausting affair, she puts up with it for the sake of keeping up. In her position, if you are left behind with the times, its a social error so bad that social attendances are a necessary evil.

Doesn't mean she has to like it.

There was a reason she, Sephiroth and Angeal were party wallflowers.

After the party, she signaled Yingye to visit her house.

xxx

'Well, what have you found out?' Beiyue asked Yingye who visited her house, so the maids served their best foods.

'There are people conspiring against my brother.' said Yingye anxiously. 'You see...they aim to topple down Zhanye. I did this as I stayed by his bedside so he would know what I'm hearing. Qi Chengxiang is conspiring against him along with whoever this 'old Hu' is. Hu wants to collaborate with Anguo Gong, but to them it's like trying to sleep with a tiger. They want to use Third Brother for their own agenda but Third Brother isn't politically-strong but neutral. First brother is affiliated with his maternal family so that's a no-go. Discussion got halted due to the crowded party and at risk of being overheard.'

'Hoo, boy...' Beiyue sighed. 'If not war it's an internal power struggle. Doesn't help that third cousin is now engaged to Meng Hongling so they got this harebrained scheme. How did Zhanye react to this?'

'Scary...he doesn't throw a rage but you'd know if he's angry.' said Yingye with a shudder.

'We cannot have a puppet on the throne, Yingye.' said Beiyue darkly. 'As of now, Zhanye is ideal. He is prudent and unyielding with a strong moral compass and sense of duty. He will never be a corrupt ruler. We cannot lose him.'

'I agree...we'll be in danger if their aims came true.' said Yingye worriedly.

'Keep an eye on the whole city. You will be our eyes and ears.' Beiyue told Yingye. 'And Zhanye will keep foiling their plans thanks to you and that will sow distrust among these traitors, and then there will be infighting among them.' she grinned darkly. 'And this conspiracy's as good as gone. Keep an eye on the Royal Court and all Landlords.'

'Within this city only OK? I can't reach them in their provinces as I have no power over this world.' Yingye reminded her.

'Of course.' Beiyue made her eye glow with her power, momentarily releasing her full strength, but only within her office. 'If worse comes to worse...Zack and Genesis Rhapsodos will go all out...as SOLDIERs once more.'

xxx

And so...

Time passed by since that day. It was about...18 days into her vacation leave that she got an invite to a Pill Event.

To build some rapport with her relatives as it's politics between them, she had to mail Xiaoyao in exchange that dinner's on her. He agreed. So she brought her maids, Zhonglei and Xingli, the only Pharmacist in Gangjian's family. The guard dog of the mansion today, was Qiangye's summon.

'For it to be THIS early...they've got to be kidding me!' Xingli complained sleepily.

'It can't be helped Xingli. Yao'er has lots of lady fans still trying and still failing to catch his eye.' Beiyue scoffed. 'They'll disrupt a sacred event like this.' she was privileged to know, that Xiaoyao only ever loved her mother, and was bitter with her marriage. Thus she who looked like her mother, was doted upon by him too so she built a good working relationship with him. Being a young adult when she died, at age 27. Xiaoyao's way older than her, being around her mother's age and remained physically 18 so he hasn't mentally matured much either. His mindset was that of a bereaved young man.

But there were times that Xiaoyao's treatment of her that while doting on her, was ambiguous. She had no idea if he adopted her in his heart, imagining her as HIS daughter with the late Princess Royal, or waiting for her to grow up for...that...she had no clue. She has no idea as she never fell in love her whole life in the past, focusing on becoming Top SOLDIER and after that, staying alive, forsaking all she had just to live.

'Makes me wonder what it's about...being a Pharmacist I can relate. I hate being disturbed at work.' Xingli pouted. 'I hope I learn something new. Thanks for inviting me!' she said gratefully, perking up.

'Well, make a good impression as you and your family have yet to make a social debut. Yuancheng tainted the family name and grandfather's trying to clean up mess for the other Xiaos.'

'This is my social debut?!'

'Pretty much, even if only mostly old men are coming.' said Zhonglei. 'We'll be the only young people there, along with Prince Yi.'

'Right...' Xingli mused wryly.

'Of course. Old men indeed!'

With the right pills and some ki control, anyone can be immortal by halting physical aging, returning their bodies back to youth. But those are stupidly-expensive. Very few can afford immortality!

And so...

On Xiaoyao's boat, via Xiannuo's water-snake...

'Welcome aboard.' Lianyi greeted them. 'Just in time, we'll start in ten minutes!'

'Alright people, bathroom break because nobody can go out as a door creak, the elders will get cranky! Socializing can wait at dinner.' Beiyue told her group. 'Lian'er, where's the facilities?'

'This way, come on.' Lianyi chuckled as he led them to the lower recesses of the ship to where the facilities are...Beiyue can be really frank.


	11. Lucky Treasure

Lucky Treasure

In attendance to Xiaoyao's Pill Event were Principal Canghe, some Lingyang Teachers who dabbled in Pharmacy, and his closest friends.

Lianyi and Beiyue included in that list, though Xiaoyao allowed some guests for Beiyue's sake.

The event was about obtaining a new level of purity in refining pills. It took one heck of ki control to produce such clear, glass-like luster! And better yet, more potent! Pharmacists present were encouraged to try their luck, so the excited maids and Xingli joined the table, their own censers out!

The event went as planned, though by the time it was over, they can see other girls by the shore, but too intimidated by the huge water-snake circling Xiaoyao's ship. Xiannuo had set her summon loose in full power to intimidate away unwanted visitors when the event ended.

'Aiya, news reached them late didn't it?' Xingli giggled as she could see a few ladies wanting to see the Princes as they were by the docks to get some sun.

'Sigh, even if they tried, they're not allowed in here Cousin Xingli. They are uninvited unlike us.' Zhonglei sighed with an eyeroll as after the event, the maids scattered to cook dinner in the kitchens. Beiyue was with the princes and academicians, leaving the two together. 'Really, how desperate are they?' he sneered in disgust. 'Sister would tell me a man will never pursue a woman chasing a man, as it's a man who should chase a woman.'

'Father was strict about that too.' said Xingli. 'Because a woman chasing a man is a sign of loose morals, disgracing oneself. He can really be as bad as Aunt Qin's father sometimes.' she told him. 'So, about your arrangement...'

'Mm. Sister will let me be known when it's time for contests in school.' Zhonglei chuckled. 'I can't wait to see the looks on their faces...' he smirked.

xxx

'That's one beautiful snake!' Sima Guiyan exclaimed, admiring Xiannuo's summon. 'I've never seen anything like it!'

'My maids want theirs cute.' said Beiyue in amusement. 'They think my and Dongling's summons are scary enough for all of us.'

'Three of your maids are summoners I recall...Dongling, Xiannuo and Qiangye.' said Lianyi. 'How far are they now in cultivation?'

'Humm, Dongling just started being a 6-star, while Xiannuo and Qiangye are about to master 4-stars. They juggle work after all.'

'Such phenomenal rise there!'

'Well, most of it is thanks to Yao'er.' Beiyue smiled at Xiaoyao who smiled back. 'My maids work hard to make his time worth the while.' she's currently known as 9-star junior herself. Catching up quick to Zhanye...as far as the public knows, while to the teachers at Lingyang...**they know better**. 'It's Qiangye's fire fox guarding my mansion today so you won't see it now.'

They talked some more, until Dongling announced Dinner was ready...and what a feast the maids made. Three choices each of soup, dimsum, vegetables, meat and dessert!

And they all smelled way too good.

In this world, people relied on an ingredient's natural tastes, along with oil, soy sauce, sugar, honey and salt.

They never know how to get creative with culinary herbs. Garlic as an example, is a medicinal herb for refining and that's as far as they know! They don't even know it's edible and good for flavor and aroma!

Beiyue's modern knowledge was also a part of Qinghe's Tourism Industry. She had met with restaurant chefs in Qinghe as well as Taverns in how to improve using herbs...after using Security Sorcery so they cannot spread business knowledge limited solely to Qinghe only. And if they were to retire, they absolutely must inform her so she can meet their successors before training said successors. So visitors spend lots of money on delicious food!

And now, these guys were dumbstruck by how delicious the feast was. Not only did it smell good but deliciously-flavorful, and meat oh-so-tender! The dessert?

'What are these?'

They were cakes that were beautifully-iced, pastries, tarts, and pies. With fruit, nuts and honey of course. Chocolate is impossible in this world, sadly.

'A new development in my provinces. Try some!' Beiyue encouraged. 'They're all sweet desserts. Shops in my county will sell them soon as soon as my trained chefs master them there while my girls mastered them already.'

'It looks...fluffy? What are they made of?' Lianyi wondered as he received desserts from the maids as the cakes were pre-cut beforehand.

'Wheat, eggs, milk, butter and fruit. And you get those.' Beiyue grinned. Taking on their adventurous spirit, the unfamiliar pharmacists ate the desserts and they're sweet, moist and fluffy!

'DELICIOUS!'

Needless to say, everyone overate that day, taking pleasure in the desserts.

'That was wonderful Yue'er, I've never had such a dinner!' Xiaoyao was very happy. 'Can I send my manservant to learn from you?'

'Of course.' Beiyue agreed. 'I'm a strict teacher and you'll be doing a re-budgeting of your kitchen expenses when we're through with him.'

'Wonderful!'

'Just take care not to end up like Anguo Gong though.'

Xiaoyao choked, looking like cracked white granite, unable to imagine himself being...obese.

Beiyue's food was so delicious but he must learn self-control too.

'Ahahaha...' he laughed weakly and nervously.

'Princess Beiyue,' an unknown old man approached them.

"The Pharmacy Sage!" Xiaoyao thought. The old immortal's knowledge surpassed his it was lucky he befriended the man on his travels. What could he want from Beiyue?

'Greetings to honored sir.' Beiyue greeted with elegant, respectful etiquette and charm, making the man happy.

'Mm. This old man is very pleased to know that the daughter of Princess Huiwen knows etiquette.' he was a bright, but thin old man. 'You do your reputation proud.'

'My thanks to sir's kind words. Though I believe we never met.'

'The old man laughed with a 'haha': 'Of course Princess doesn't recognize this old man. I had met Princess before she was married.'

Furthermore, his words had praised Princess Royal. Towards such a person, she needs to be very respectful to him. Hence, the memory of Princess Royal won't be flawed in his heart because of her.

The old man stroked the short beard on his chin and laughed: 'Good, good! Today this old man has seen Princess Beiyue, this old man has finally resolved his desire. That year I was too busy, I wanted to give Princess Royal a gift. But I had to deal with a lot of matters, so it kept getting delayed until she had passed away. I was still unable to send the gift. This old man had felt great regret these past years.'

Beiyue shook her head in reassurance. 'Sir, please don't say that. My mother must've felt that it was very fortunate of her to have met you.' she said with a smile. Must've been a birthday gift or wedding gift, she had no idea. But grateful all the same on her mother's behalf.

The old man smiled with relief: 'Being able to hear the Princess say it like this, this old man is also very fortunate. Since I'm unable to give this gift to Princess Royal, then I'll give it to you. Think of it as resolving one of this old man's wish!'

Saying up to this, he turned his hand over. From his high-grade purple gemmed space ring, he took out a scroll. With a smile, he gave it to Beiyue.

Beiyue didn't dare to refuse as she quickly received it from him: 'Thank you, sir!'

When an elder gives his junior something, it wouldn't be sensible/smart to refuse.

'Hahaha, good child. I hope to see you again.' The old man saw that she was well-mannered, he felt even more gratified. He nodded his head. His body floated on top of the lake. As he floated more, he slowly disappeared into the distance.

'...' it was a purple scroll with the label 'Hundred Ways of Refinement'. 'Hey, Yao'er...did mother practice Pharmacy?' she asked, knowing full well how valuable this scroll was.

'She does.' said Xiaoyao. 'She believes one must accomplish what they can so they have no regrets. Especially so as back then was war.' he told her.

'I see...well, I'll do what I can too.' Beiyue swore. 'Because I haven't gotten my wishes yet.'

'What would be your wish?'

'Well, being a princess aside, I just want a normal life.' Beiyue told him. 'And married a man who would give me a happy, loving and fruitful marriage. But how can I with mother's killer still alive, right?' she looked up at the sky. 'I'll fix all loose ends.'

xxx

'Daughter, how did the event go?' Gangjian asked his daughter who returned home.

'It was a very solemn, serious, but fruitful experience father! I never got the chance to be surrounded by high-profile people before!' Xingli gushed out. 'We all even learned a new technique! My first social debut is a success since I left a good impression on the people present!'

'Mm.' her father nodded in approval. 'By the time of the Feat Contest, you and your siblings must shine. The Pill Event is a small, but precious event, moreso as Prince Xiaoyao is present. How did they receive you?'

'Everyone treated me kindly after royal cousin introduced me and I never failed in my manners, so I was well-received...it was nerve-wracking but I got better rapport with the school teachers now...all Lingyang Pharmacy Faculty are present along with principal and Sima Guiyan and Prince Xiaoyao's closest friends...never thought that guy is a Pharmacist too...' she said thoughtfully. 'Although some ladies came but Xiannuo's summon kept them all away. They're not invited yet dared to show up unannounced, how rude...by the time they came it was already late afternoon with dinner being cooked.' she said. 'Cousin Zhonglei said they'll never have a chance because they chase men when it should be man chasing woman.' she huffed.

'Well, they look desperate, Xing'er. It's a sign of loose morals. Blatantly saying they're after this man to gain his status and access to his money. That is the language we men perceive taught to us by our fathers.' Gangjian sneered. 'Never associate with their ilk, now that you have seen their faces by that lake shore.'

'Ah...'

xxx

At home...

Beiyue hid the scroll in her ring. She would take vacation seriously for now.

She has some time left before school begins. So while resting her body, she would cultivate. She dared not rest on her laurels from her past life as a SOLDIER. She wanted to be stronger than that, damnit!

She has been downing pills since her mother's death after all. She had badgered Zack to do the same. Puppy got left behind. So when they spar, alas, she's stronger than him again.

Soon, when her short vacation was over, she had returned to school, wearing a red outer garment with yellow embroidery, white inner garments and orange harem pants. Her long silken vibrant hair loose. Half of it were as flat buns by the sides of her head, hidden by pomegranate flower pins.

She got the attention of many young masters for her looks, blushing at the mere sight of her.

Zhonglei wasn't exactly oblivious to the thoughts of these young masters. His sister was way too beautiful to be even humanly possible. Sometimes, he feels treacherous feelings in his heart towards her because of her beauty, that may cross lines and he was afraid of that, so he bottled it all up, not wanting to lose what family he had left.

Eyes fell on her silk curtain for hair, her skin as white as snow that made her hair, eyes and red-matte lips stand out. A natural beauty with exquisite, petite form accompanied by her brother Zhonglei and their servants to the top of the stairs, before leaving them. Even her maids have vibrant hair and snow-white skin!

'Princess Beiyue's back!'

'She took leave due to overworking right? Is she even OK?'

'It's not easy being a princess worth 500 million gold...'

'No kidding, so young and already a landlady, Princess Qinghe!'

'That's some determination though...'

'Not only that, Prince Jing and Consort Jing came back too!'

'They did?!'

Beiyue listened to the conversation.

Prince Jing was affiliated with his mother's family as confirmed by Yingye. She also met his Wangfei, Lin Wanyi. She was a woman who has very blessed big eyes, her face is as round as a goose egg, her forehead is full and clean, and her lips are plump and ruddy. That, and a big pride that she would resort to dirty tricks just to 'stay' a winner. Such a woman is not allowed in the royal family. When she discovered Yingye's abilities, she had Yingye spy on the pair as well. Conspiring with Zhanye to cause her downfall as a woman like her cannot be a part of the royal family and taint it with evil.

Beiyue had been looking for an opportunity for her downfall and her opportunity lies in the upcoming Feat Contest at around autumn. It's way too hot to do any school event, it's still summer!

As she separated from Zhonglei, she headed for Mount Archery Class to get dressed for yet another training session but students who are normally watchful of their etiquette are now all out of order!

'Puppy, Yingye, what's going on?' she asked the couple.

'Lingyang College will be holding a skills competition and this year the principal had specially approved of the Imperial College to also join!' Yingye chirped. 'Let's sign up!'

'Yeah, let's!' Luoluo grinned. 'I already commissioned a sword made that looks like my old pal!'

'...that's weird, we're not normally allowed in Feat Contests.' said Beiyue. Imperial College specializes with words and brains while East College does practicals.

'It's a once-a-blue-moon thing, come on!'

'Yeah yeah, whatever...I have a mission anyway.' said Beiyue airily.

'Mission?'

'Yup. I'll tell you on lunch break. Not now.'

And so...

'OK, spill Gen.' said Luoluo excitedly. 'What's your mission?'

'They say the key to an empire's downfall is a woman.' said Beiyue. 'Lin Wanyi is a woman who cannot be allowed to be part of the royal family after I confirmed her character with Yingye's help.' she said.

'She's a woman who will use all means, including dirty methods to get what she wants.' said Yingye. 'If we let that someone in as a consort...' Luoluo paled at that.

Yingye would tell him how she grew up. She grew up in a treacherous household wherein even she has to be careful even if her royal father dotes on her. She had to constantly watch out for assassination attempts from other consorts. It was lucky she got engaged to Luoluo so she was now protected as being a Single Princess was more trouble than it's worth!

'Our opportunity is in this feat contest.' said Beiyue. 'To prevent a future evil dynasty and to protect a rightful ruler's term, we have to play dirty as well.'

'Right...' said Luoluo uncomfortably. To put a person off their high perch, public humiliation is a must!

He can't imagine himself doing that, even for a country!

'For now, we'll sign up like normal. I'll handle Wanyi.' Beiyue told them. 'Yingye, I need you to know what contest Wanyi will join in. I absolutely must join there if it's within the Imperial College.'

'Alright.' Yingye nodded.

xxx

After school...

'Zhonglei, what contest will you join in this coming autumn?' Beiyue asked Zhonglei, intrigued.

'Well, I aim for the Swordsmanship Tournament.' said Zhonglei. 'I'll go by what I know for now. Zhongqi signed up for the Polearms Tournament.'

'Humm...then, time to file the paperwork.' Beiyue grinned. Zhonglei momentarily paused before grinning back.

'It's time for _that_?'

'It is. Let's enjoy the chaos you'll cause while I'm stuck in Imperial College...but I'm sure Luoluo will get me good news somehow.' the two went home late, in a mischievous mood because they filed the required paperwork.

Then Beiyue had her sword sharpened in Bugiel Market.

They counted down the days, until it was time.

It was an event where it's OK to come to school in battle outfits for those joining.

Zhonglei dressed up in swordsman's armor his money can buy that matched the sword his sister gifted him. He was also well-groomed, with his armor and sword all polished, except for the handle that was only clean so he could grip it.

"Today's the day." he thought as he left with his manservant. "That it'll all be legal!" he swore nervously but at any rate, he embraces it any day, every day!


End file.
